life is good

M-I-A

2011-12-22T11:15:00.002-07:00

i have been MIA for the last few months. but for good reason. i have been growing a little creature inside me and it sure takes a lot of my energy! but alas, i am feeling much more back to normal and am now in the phase of being super excited for this new addition to join us in may! we recently found out it's a girl so now the planning can begin. steve is elated about having a little girl. one he can teach to be rough and tough, but get mani/pedi's with too. it is going to be so fun to see him be a dad. i think i saw a few grey hairs sprout up when the ultrasound tech told us it was a girl :) we had originally thought it was a boy, but i really didn't have strong feelings either way. the token boy would be nice to have, but let's face it. girls are so much more fun to accessorize :)

life is definitely going to be changing for us and we couldn't be happier about it. we still have moments of panic as to whether we are really ready for this, but i'm not sure you ever feel truly ready.

in other news, steve finished up his first semester back at school. he is going to the university of utah and enjoying the half tuition benefits of being an employee there. if only we could use his half tuition and my half tuition to get free tuition, but no :( he's majoring in sociology and has 2-3 more semesters. he's already registered for another full load so pray we get through another semester. it's always an adjustment going back to school, especially after 10 years! he did great his first semester though so we can't complain.

winter temperatures are here, but the snow isn't. i usually love the seasons and winter included. I'm not going to lie though, i am not a fan of winter this year. everyday, i think about how i wish i was in a warm place with the sun beating down on me and a large body of water nearby to enjoy cooling off in. but if i can just get through this winter, spring and summer are going to be epic. i will not be pregnant and will have almost the entire summer off of work to enjoy being a new mama with the babe and steve, and the dogs. now i just need to find a pool where we can spend all day, everyday. even if we aren't by the beach, I'm going to make sure this darling loves the water like her parents. and secretly, since i became pregnant, i have been yearning to move back to the beach so our little offspring can have the same childhood that steve and i did. there really isn't anything better than growing up by the beach. but i'm biased.

we were able to go to california for thanksgiving which was amazing and much needed. the warm weather, sunshine, family. i loved it all, except when we had to leave. i can't wait to go back with our new addition in a few months!

being back in our house has been great, but it has sure made us want to start in on the projects again. maybe that's just homeownership? i yearn for the day when we own a house that is just how we like it and doesn't require any *major* overhauls. someday...

i am putting off school applications for another year just so steve can take his time to finish school, and we can adjust to parenthood. it's still in the 5 year plan though and i sure hope it all works out. of course i know it will work out how it is supposed to.

i have been terrible about taking pictures and such as of late, but i will be better from here on out. i was seriously WIPED OUT the first few months of this pregnancy. totally not myself and it scared me that i would never be the same in the aspect of being organized and such. slowly, but surely i am getting back to the old list-making, productive woman i once was.

christmas has snuck up on us and i just barely hung a wreath on the front door and put out a christmas welcome mat. that is the extent of our christmas this year. no lights, no tree, no cards, no presents. we are grinch's i guess you could say. maybe i will just decorate for valentine's day a bit early :)

regardless of us being grinch's, we hope everyone has a great holiday season!

Chillaxin

2011-09-11T20:57:00.001-06:00

Our house is still in disarray and full of boxes from the move, but we are taking a break to watch some football. This little furball snuck up to enjoy some of it with us.

Just love that furbaby of mine!
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Yummy surprise

2011-09-11T20:50:00.001-06:00

I love bags like most women love shoes. Just the other day, hubs came home with this beaut that i had fallen in love with a couple of weeks ago. I adore it and love that he gets me sweet surprises now and again. And just in time for Fall!

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a change of lifestyle

2011-09-01T16:46:00.002-06:00

everyone has heard of the freshman 15. in my case, it was the freshman 15, the nursing school and night shift working 20, the dating 15, and the married 20. needless to say steve and i were both in need of a change. we have opposite taste buds so going out was always the easiest thing to satisfy both of our pallets. but with some compromise both ways, we are in much better shape now. both literally and physically. we still have a ways to go, but are making some good progress. and what is helping me get there? well, i ate salad for one of the first times in my life, and i liked it. who knew???

super trooper

2011-09-01T16:44:00.002-06:00

every july steve's department allows the officers to grow a goatee for 2 months if they donate money to breast cancer research. well, once that 2 months is up, it's mustache or nothing. so steve kept this beauty around for an extra day. can you see why i love this guy? :)

now that's what i call therapy

2011-09-01T16:40:00.003-06:00

a few weeks ago at work i had to transfer a patient to hunstman. while i was over there, i saw this beauty working the floors. she goes from room to room providing therapy for patients as they heal. i would most definitely not want to be the patient, but if i was, i know seeing this furry face would make me feel a little happier.

we are the champions!

2011-09-01T16:34:00.003-06:00

well steve and his softball team are. every summer steve plays in the research park softball league with some people from work. this year, they won the whole shabang! congrats guys and gals. the games were so much fun to watch!

the last 6 weeks

2011-09-01T15:52:00.004-06:00

behind yet again, but hey, at least i'm consistent. this summer has been fairly low key for us, but we did manage to get away a few times.

in july, we took a trip home to california. it was the first trip in a long time that was just for fun. no events to attend. just a week to do whatever our little hearts desired. i love being in california. steve and i toss around the idea of moving back all.the.time. the age old decision...mountains or beach. sigh.

i'm too lazy to put these pictures in order, so here you go :)

[hubs loves those doyers so we go to a game whenever we can]

[have to enjoy a balboa bar from the island. this street encompasses everything i love about where i'm from]

[koji bbq. the hubs has raved about this place for a long time. now i see why]

[no trip to OC would be complete without a trip, or few, to TK burger]

[the hill behind chavez ravine]

[newport skyline from the ferry. love.]

[dog beach]

[jackster was in HEAVEN]

[more food. this time the pizzookie.mmmm]

[even marley enjoyed basking in the sun. the swimming, not so much]

[spent a few days at my grandma's house in apple valley. enjoyed the pool, almost as much as jack]

It's that time again

2011-08-18T20:16:00.004-06:00

After a break for the last couple months, and playing in a softball league at work (league championship game is next week), it's time for fall baseball league. I love myself some baseball and it doesn't hurt that hubs looks so good making plays in those tight baseball pants. Yum.
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Say cheese!

2011-07-25T15:06:00.001-06:00

Look at this face I woke up to the other day. Love that snout. Xoxo

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Are we there yet?

2011-07-24T13:00:00.001-06:00

I just got done working 3 night shifts. The last of which burned me out in a big way. The hubs showed up at my work at 7:30am with the truck loaded and a change of clothes. with the dogs and our friend Joel, we took off for a semi spontaneous week back home in California. Now we are on the road, somewhere between slc and the oc and I can't wait to be in the land of palm trees again :)

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speechless

2011-07-12T15:21:00.003-06:00

holy sensory overload! i have found where all the other people in the world like me hang out and i LOVE it more than i can say. i'm afraid i may stop being productive at anything other than pinning from here on out. sigh...

happy 4th

2011-07-04T16:02:00.007-06:00

happy 4th of july everyone. i really love this day, and yet, i'm stuck working. boo. but anyway, i really do love this holiday. i love all that it represents. family gatherings, bbq's, summer fruit, parades, fireworks, patriotism, and the celebration that we live in a country based on freedom.

hope you all enjoy this holiday and watch some fireworks for me. but of course, don't be stupid with those things. i worked in an ER for 4 years and have seen my fair share of fireworks gone bad.

Smoochable

2011-06-23T01:48:00.003-06:00

How stinking cute are these faces? I could smooch on them all.day.long!

oh hey...

2011-06-23T01:32:00.002-06:00

So it's been awhile. I wish I could say it's because we have been so busy having fun. But mostly it's just me being lazy. And busy. Life has a way of passing by so fast. But here are a few pics from the old phone to update you.

[I got bangs. Not sure I love them but a fun change. AND I started a new job in an ICU. I like it but miss the ER. Here's hoping it will help me get into school though.]

[Cuteness that is our dogs]

[Softball and baseball season has started for Steve. The dogs and I love to bask in the warm weather and cheer for him. He's such a rockstar!]

[we went to Vegas for a quick getaway. Saw some friends and ate at Diego-only the BEST Mexican place. EVER!]

[took the dogs swimming in the raging rivers nearby. At least one of them absolutely loves it]

[I became AMAZING at words with friends]

Oh, and I became a CCRN, which probably doesn't mean a lot to anyone except nurses, but it's a great certification to have which basically means I am a rockstar nurse!

So yes. We are still around. We are having fun, but also staying busy trying to get my booty into grad school and plain old get more organized with life. At least that's what OCD me is busy with. Steve and the boys are busy getting me out of the house and enjoying summatime! Great combo if I may say so :)

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Happy Easter

2011-04-24T22:07:00.001-06:00

Hope everyone had a great Easter and was able to enjoy it with friends, family, and lots of Easter bunny goodness!
And of course, I hope we all remember why we celebrate this day. It is by far the most meaningful holiday of all to me.

:(

2011-04-24T21:47:00.003-06:00

i'm sad my iphone has a sucky camera so the resolution on photos is no good when blown up larger. something to put in the suggestion box for the next generation. apple, are you listening?

My world

2011-04-24T20:54:00.002-06:00

I love these boyz with all my heart. Xoxo.

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i had a dream...

2011-04-23T20:13:00.003-06:00

[source:http://blog.lenacorwin.com/]

...that those were my feet. on a HOT.SUMMER.DAY. i'm ready. summer, where are you??

HOT-TY!

2011-04-08T16:36:00.001-06:00

In my opinion of course. I just love this guy. Xoxo

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Where is spring?

2011-04-08T16:32:00.002-06:00

All this rainy weather during the work week makes for some lazy dogs.

Can't wait for some days off to head up to the mountains and enjoy the extra snow.
seriously though, I love winter, but come on, it's time for Spring!

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Oh My Cuteness!

2011-04-03T08:32:00.005-06:00

the great outdoors

2011-03-30T10:33:00.002-06:00

last week steve and his brother and a couple of our nephews went up to idaho to hunt coyotes and rabbits. they took the dogs because it had been rainy and the dogs had been kept in the house far too long. boy did they have a blast. they ran their little hearts out. of course, the only pictures taken were once they set up camp. but hey, they are my kids for the time being so i had to post a couple pictures of the boyz.

word

2011-03-30T10:19:00.004-06:00

i'm a huge fan of quotes and sayings and such. in fact, i have a notebook full of such things i have come across over the years. like i said, i'm no good with words, so i say things vicariously through famous people's words.

hootie, without the blowfish?

2011-03-17T12:57:00.004-06:00

to me, music is the bomb; it's the soundtrack to my life. i have never been able to articulate things the way i want to (in case you haven't noticed, i don't really have a way with words), so i default to music. and every once in awhile, a song comes along that says EXACTLY what i have been wanting to say. case in point, a new release by hootie himself. surprising i know, but i'm a huge fan of darius rucker, country version at least.

my way with words is even worse when it comes to subjects that are really important or that mean a lot to me, like the way i feel about the hubs. i usually default to "i'm speechless", or "there are no words", but that only works for so long. there are already a handful of songs out there that are "our" songs, because they say how we feel so eloquently. and now we can add this one to the list. these lyrics just say it perfectly. i'm a big believer that things happen for a reason. we may not understand why at the time, but at some point, it all comes together and makes sense. i wouldn't trade any part of my life to be where i am now. my life isn't "perfect" by any means, but it's darn close to perfect for me, and i couldn't be happier to have all of this.

if you want to have a listen, go here. ENJOY!

the big 2-9

2011-03-17T12:52:00.003-06:00

tuesday, i turned 29. i have to say, it's the first birthday where i really feel like an adult. i say that every year. maybe one of these years, i will actually start acting like one. it was a great birthday. very low key. breakfast with the mr. in the morning. then class for a few hours. then a fancy schmancy dinner at christopher's steak house and a movie with the hubs at night. usually i like a big fuss for my birthday, but this year, the low key, mellow idea was totally what i needed, and wanted. just a quiet night with the one who matters most to me.

that's not to say i didn't get a fuss though. i got lots of presents, flowers, and birthday wishes from so many people in my life. sure brought a smile to my face and made me feel so special.

2 years

2011-03-14T22:54:00.004-06:00

february 28th was our 2nd anniversary. life is busy and we were on our way back from california (we drove, with the dogs...long trip), so it was a very low key anniversary. technically, it was spent in a motel room in mesquite. romantic, huh? but nonetheless, it was a great day.

i feel like i have had a permanent smile on my face ever since the hubs came into my life. he is just so darn perfect me. it's like we were made just for each other or something :) (not that i ever really believed in that kind of thing, but still). it has been a great 2 years together, and i am so glad we have forever to go. there is no one in the world i would rather spend my forever with. love you hubs!

[huntington beach, CA, dog beach]

californ-i-A

2011-03-14T21:58:00.007-06:00

we usually average 1 trip to cali per year. i love going back to visit and everytime we do, we leave feeling like maybe we should move back there. but then we get home to the mountains and the space, and we fall in love with where we live again. already this year, we've taken 2 trips back to the motherland.

in january, we took an unexpected trip back home for my grandfather's funeral. i can't believe it, but it was the first funeral i have ever gone to, (memorials excluded). it was super emotional, but such a good experience to say goodbye and be with family, especially my dear grandmother. the woman has now outlived 2, count them, 2 husbands. despite everything though, she is such a strong lady and is doing just fine.

my grandfather served in the military so he had the full military funeral.

[US Marines standing guard and shot their rifles during the ceremony]

[folding the flag that draped the casket]

[giving my grandmother the flag]

the next month, in february, we went home again. this time, for my grandmother. it was her birthday. HER 90TH BIRTHDAY! what an amazing lady, and i was so glad we could be there to celebrate her on that day. this is the kicker, she still drives, and has to retake her driving test this year. we'll see if she passes :) she has been such a huge part of my life, growing up years especially, since my dad wasn't really around. i can only hope to grow old with the grace and good looks this woman has.

[happy 90th birthday nana!]

[she even skyped for the first time to talk with her "norwegian son" and his family. Egil was an exchange student when my mom was in high school and they have kept in touch all these years]

[birthday girl blowing out her candles]

[the mr. and me with the birthday girl. by this time she was slosshed, as evidenced by her sweet party hat :) ]

and before the trip was over, we had to take the pupsters to the dog beach. marley used to go with me when we lived in california, but this was jack's first time. i think he was a fan.

[the hubs taking a dip in the cold pacific]

[jackster running his little heart out...]

[...to catch the frisbee. pretty good job little buddy]

[marley prefers to run along the waters edge, rather than go IN the water]

[jack on the other hand, can't get enough of the water]

great trip home and we can't wait for the next one, though we were glad to come home to the mountains and snow :)

the big picture

2011-02-17T19:34:00.002-07:00

i have been wanting to post bigger pictures on our blog for awhile now. then when we got a new camera, i wanted to even more. well i have finally taken the time to figure it out. or at least try to do so. i'm a visual/picture person, so i figure the bigger the picture, the better. hope you all enjoy seeing our mugs up close and personal like. bare with me though, as i try to work out the kinks.

[ from a recent trip to california, in seal beach. i sure do miss the beach A LOT]

snowy morning

2011-02-17T19:12:00.002-07:00

this is why i love living here. what an awesome storm last night. not so awesome to drive from orem to kaysville in (we watched our nephew in a basketball tournament), but hey, the after effects are simply gorgeous.

HOPE YOU ARE ENJOYING WINTER AS MUCH AS WE ARE!

possibly my favorite day of the year

2011-02-15T22:11:00.005-07:00

hope everyone had a fabulous valentine's day. it is quite possibly my most favorite holiday. more because of the decorations than anything. i love myself some pretty pink, red, and white hearts. i love LOVE and candy, so it's really a holiday you can't go wrong with.

this year, my valentine came in the form of this gem...

i got a couple of other really great gifts from the hubs. he seriously spoiled me this year. i think it's because last year he skimped on the gift thing. but hey, he's learning :)

all i want for christmas...

2010-12-21T10:57:00.003-07:00

i was reading one of my favorite blogs the other day, my favorite everything, and i came across these beauties. the most beautiful dishes i have ever seen. i am a pretty plain jane type of person when it comes to home decor. i like neutrals and being able to accent with color. i have had the hardest time finding dishes that i REALLY LOVE. well now i've found them. is it too late to write a letter to santa?

from our home to yours

2010-12-21T10:52:00.002-07:00

to everyone near and far and those we don't have addresses for, we want to wish you a

HAPPY EVERYTHING!

Happy Holidays!

Another great year coming to a close. 2010 seemed to fly by! Here are a few highlights from our year:

1st Anniversary trip to Jackson Hole (married life rocks!)

Getting a German Shepherd puppy. We call him Jack. We brought him home in February and he has been the perfect addition to our family. He and Marley get along great and love having each other around.

Taking trips to Las Vegas, Denver, and back home to California. We love to travel and can’t wait to take more trips in the New Year!

Camping,camping, camping. Oh how we LOVE camping.

Seeing various concerts (Jack Johnson) and sporting events (baseball, basketball).

Spending time with friends and family whom we love.

Enjoying the seasons and the great outdoors here in Utah. For the foreseeable future, we will call this place HOME.

We have had a wonderful year and look forward to the many other exciting things coming up in the future.

We wish everyone a Merry Holiday Season and hope you all enjoy this time of year to the fullest!

Ho Ho Ho

S♥G

i resolve...

2010-12-20T14:04:00.005-07:00

New Year's Resolutions. It's that time of year to think of all the things you want to accomplish over the next year. A time to start anew and be better than you were before. Here are some of the things the mr. and i want to accomplish this next year.

1. Lose 50 lbs.

2. eat healthier
3. take up new hobbies (sewing, mod podging, crafts in general)
4.travel
5.take more pictures
6.oragnize said pictures into frames and albums
7.have a baby
8.pay off debt/live within our budget
9.get back into our own house
10.get into crna school or at least get my application ready. new job, new certifications, take the gre, etc .

11.volunteer at animal shelter as well as volunteer my time in general

12.learn to cook/bake more

13.develop a regular workout routine

14.build up a food storage

15.slowly purchase more long lasting pieces of furniture and home decorations. this one may be for next year since we may not be back in our house by the end of 2011, but hey, better to have too much to do than too little.

I hope everyone has a great Christmas and New Years. As for me, I will be working. All of those days. But at least the extra money will help me achieve #8 on my list :)

our thanksgiving

2010-11-27T11:40:00.003-07:00

[just love this picture of fall leaves. it's like the essence of fall]

we had a great thanksgiving x2. last week my mom was in town from california on business so we had a big feast the thursday before thanksgiving. then, on thanksgiving, we had steve's mom up and had...ham? yes. it was so yummy! steve and his mom made it with pineapple and brown sugar. sure was yummy in the tummy. i think we will have a repeat at christmas.
the rest of the day was mellow, filled with football, naps, shopping, more football, naps, and lots of food. just the way a turkey day should be.

as great as it was to have 2 thanksgivings, now we have to work it off twice as hard!

I'm grateful

2010-11-26T21:35:00.006-07:00

hope you enjoyed turning this..into this... Before it's too late, I just wanted to get in on the gratitude posts. not that's it's ever too late, but you know what i mean. I really love this time of year and how everyone focuses so much on their blessings. it's something i try to do all year round, but i love how it's the focus of the season. there really is so much i am grateful for, i'm not sure if i could list them all. so what i will do is list 25 of them for the days leading up to thanksgiving.

1. my family. i think i was blessed with such a great, supportive family.
2. my husband and "our" family. he is my best friend and my life is so much better with him in it. 3. our home.
4.my job. not only am i grateful to have a job in this economy, but it pays well and i love my job.
5. education. so grateful i was able to get a good education and for the opportunities it has afforded me.
6. where i live. utah in particular is such a beautiful place. i often catch myself just staring at the beauty around me.
7. my dogs. oh they make me such a happy mama.
8. my able body. i abuse my body so dang much but it's held up pretty well over the years.
9. my imagination. i love to daydream and i'm so grateful for my mind.
10. the gospel. it's amazing how much it improves my life and that i can continually learn more about it.
11.the 4 seasons. i love the changing seasons. i'm not sure i can ever live somewhere that doesn't have 4 seasons now.

12.books. i love how books can transform where you are and take you away to another place and time. i love living vicariously through books.

13. travel. i love seeing this gorgeous world that we live in. i only hope i can do more of it someday.

14.journals. i love being able to write down my thoughts and process things. and it will hopefully be something future generations can enjoy as well.

15.music. music is such an amazing thing. i by no means have a good voice, but i still love to sing my heart out in the car.

16.candles, fireplaces. they are so cozy and give such a homey feel.

17. the place where i grew up. i feel so blessed to have grown up in a beautiful place like newport beach. i love to be able to go back and visit and just sit by the ocean. it, in itself is such a powerful thing.

18. government. it may be far from perfect, but i think the world is a better place with some organization.
19. being able to provide for my family. so grateful for the necessities of food, water, clothing, shoes, and shelter. and so grateful that we even have some we can share with others.

20. my skills as a nurse. i have learned so much in my job and i feel so lucky to be such a skilled professional that i could help out in a time of need.

21.sports. it's a favorite activity of mine and i love watching me some sports.

22.technology. life is so much easier with computers and such.

23.pictures. oh how i love pictures and being able to preserve memories.

24.art. i love to look at art, make art. it warms my soul.

25.holiday gatherings. holidays seem to bring people together and i love spending time with family and friends.

there are so many other things i am grateful for. things that make my life what it is. i know my life isn't perfect but i love it just the way it is.

i hope everyone can take a minute to reflect on what they are grateful for, not just now, but throughout the year.

NOW, BRING ON CHRISTMAS!!!!

my drive home

2010-11-19T22:43:00.002-07:00

i have said it before and i will say it again, i really love my drive home from work. it's a good 30 minutes and gives me quiet time to enjoy the world around me and decompress from the chaos of the er.
today was a not so great day in the er. by far not the worst, but not great either. i didn't get out of there until almost 30 minutes late and i was pretty non stop most of the day. i left work feeling uptight and blah, but by the time i got home, i felt relaxed and worry free.
perhaps this is why...
i get to/have to drive through downtown to get home. sometimes it's a pain because of how much traffic there is, but i can't help but slow down a little and enjoy this image. i am by no means an exemplary temple attender, but when i do go, it's some of my favorite times. and driving by it seems like a close second. just seeing the temple as i drive by makes time slow down and turns my attention to the gospel. just standing there, a pillar of such significance in my life. and just then, all the stress and chaos from my day, melts away.
life is good again.

the hubs turns 30! (+4)

2010-11-10T20:15:00.003-07:00

last week was the mr.'s 34th birthday. or as he says it, the mark of him entering mid life crisis age. i say that's lame because i intend to grow older than 68 with him.

anywho, we had a great day. shopped a bit, saw a movie, had a great dinner at rodizio grill (his choice), and then home for presents and cake. i must say, the kid made out like a bandit this year. i now understand when my mom said she wanted to buy us everything we ever said we wanted when we were kids (and still does, actually). i wanted to get everything the birthday boy wanted for his big day. it was worth it to see his smile, however i will be paying this day off for the next month. just in time to buy all the christmas presents.

like a lame blogger, i took no pictures of anything that day, but i will just tell you it was a golf themed birthday and i got him the cutest stinking golf cake EVER. guess you will just have to take my word for it.

i love any opportunity to celebrate that man. he has made my life better than i could ever ask for.

so, a few days late, but...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SRR!

i'm SO glad you were born :)

jack turns 1

2010-11-03T08:23:00.006-06:00

our little pupster jack turns 1 today. i was a little hesitant to get a 2nd dog because i thought marley would feel slighted by a newcomer. and i think at times, the old guy resents us for getting this young pup, but overall, they really enjoy each other and if you aren't looking, you catch them cuddling with each other. it's so much fun to watch them interact with each other. 2 dogs is definitely the way to go. so happy birthday to our little jackster! thanks for joining the family!

[the day we brought him home]

[so small compared to marley, then. not anymore!]

[look at those little legs]

[always beats up on marley, since day 1. at least he doesn't have those razor sharp puppy teeth anymore]
[our little snow dog]
[loves his big brother]
[first time swimming]
[look at those legs getting longer!]
[cuddlebugs]
[our water dog. the opposite of marley.]
[the big birthday boy. 1 year old. my how you have grown!]

mmm, mmm, goooood

2010-10-18T18:01:00.003-06:00

if you haven't already, watch this show. it is so bad, but SO good at the same time...i ♥ you dexter.

STELLA!!!!!!

2010-10-09T14:57:00.003-06:00

we had a productive few days off this week. after a few months of trying to sell my beloved car in attempts to save some money that we were unnecessarily spending, and with little interest from anyone to buy the car, we had about given up. then i got one of those many, "is your call still for sale?" emails. i responded yes, with little expectation of it going anywhere. well, the next day, this cute couple made an offer on the car. and the day after that, stella went to a new home. now that she is actually sold, i'm pretty bummed she won't be around anymore. but the couple who bought her LOVE subi's. in fact, stella is their 3rd one and the one she is replacing is 12 years old with 175k miles on it. so i know she will be well used. and even better news is, with insurance and car payment, we will be saving almost $500/month! sweetness. now we can save that money for my tuition to CRNA school...if only $500/month would even closely cover the tuition...

FAREWELL STELLA. CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE ANOTHER SUBI.

fall is in the air

2010-10-01T12:05:00.005-06:00

it's the first day of october. october is quite possibly my favorite month out of the year. it also marks the start of my favorite half of the year. fall and winter are by far my favorite seasons. growing up, i think summer was my favorite because i had some time off school. and in california, there weren't the change of seasons like there is here in utah. now that i live in a place with 4 distinct seasons, i love them each for different reasons.
but fall and winter, you steal my heart. the cool, crisp air, the changing leaves. then the snow, the holidays. i just can't get enough of it.
here are a few of my favorite things this season...

everything pumpking, apple, cinnamon, caramel
ghosts, goblins, jack-o-lanterns, bats, spiders, witches, skeletons, candy corns, trick-or-treaters
changing colors of leaves, cool, crisp air
days getting shorter, layering, bundling up, scarves, hats, mittens, boots
candles burning, fires in the fireplace, nice cup of hot chocolate
holidays, family gatherings, good food
SNOW and all activities snow related, heated seats in my car

man just writing about it gets me all excited. but this years fall has been a little rude. it started to cool down, but then it got hot again! as if. at least it's still cool at night. and i have high hopes that the weather will cooperate now that it's october.

HAPPY FALL!

here are some pictures of some trips we've taken recently.

[view up farmington canyon]
[view of the city and the salt lake from the top of the canyon]
[backside of the canyon]
[pineview resevoir, huntsville]
[jack enjoying the water and marley watching from a safe depth. it's amazing how opposite these two are when it comes to water]
[even the mr. got in the water]

someday

2010-10-01T11:36:00.004-06:00

the mr. and i would love to build a house, someday. as we looked at some builders, we came across this gem. someday i want to have this home. i would love it if someday was now, but for now, i will continue to love my basement apartment and live the simple life until i get through with school. and no, i am not even in school right now. i hope to be in the next 3 years, and then 2 1/2 years after that...then i will be able to even think of a house like this.
i just love how traditional it looks. the inviting and cozy appearance is so yummy. i can just imagine hosting holidays and parties there. or playing basketball and football games in the yard. a river in the back would just make it perfect. with enough land for a couple horses and some other farm animals. but for now, i will dream about it.
for the full tour of this house, click here.

fresh air

2010-10-01T11:17:00.003-06:00

i work in an er. an er with no windows. all day long, i see glimpses of what the day looks like through the doors where ambulance patients come through. when the doors open for those few short seconds to allow the stretchers to come through, i can feel the temperature, smell the air, and i close my eyes for just a few seconds, and soak up the fresh air. i mean, really, the smell of bodily fluids gets old after so long.
so every night, as i walk out of the er to head home, that feeling of being outside, amidst the fresh air, is so freaking awesome. i seriously just want to close my eyes and lay down for a minute enjoying it, and decompressing from the long day at work. but then i would just be a person laying down in a hospital parking lot, and that would be weird.
so if any of you out there ever design an er. put in some freaking windows. a little vitamin D would probably do the patients, and the staff, some good.

i ♥ utah

2010-09-29T21:04:00.002-06:00

one of the things i love most about utah are the sunsets. i think this place has some of the best sunsets anywhere. ever since we moved to kaysville, the drive home has gotten much longer than it used to be. but i really don't mind. i get to spend the 30 minutes enjoying the sunsets. it makes me think of how grateful i am for the beauty that surrounds us here. i could get all mushy here and talk about how great life is and what a miracle it is to enjoy this life. or how i can see God in everything around me. but i won't. i will, instead, leave you with this yummy picture of the place i call home.

2010-08-28T13:52:00.004-06:00

here are some things that have been on my mind lately...

summer is winding down and i am having a hard time containing my excitement for fall. it is my favorite season and i love nothing more than getting the house cozy with candles burning that smell like fall.
i love married life. it is so awesome to spend all your time with your best friend. and to have someone to come home to everynight and wake up next to everyday. and it's even better that i get to have him forever.
i feel like martha stewart lives in my head. i have this obsessive need for everything to be "just so" and perfect, but i can't seem to get my act together to actually have everything done the way it needs to be. but when things are in order, it's oh so delicious.
i am baby hungry. like crazy baby hungry. last year at this time, i was still terrified at the idea of having kids. but now, i can't get them off my mind. weird.
i love living in utah. steve and i went to denver over the summer. it's an awesome city, but it made me realize how much i really do like it here. nature is so in your face here and i love that.
i think i have the cutest stinking dogs in the world. they really make me so happy. sometimes i think they are even better than kids because they can't talk back.
i love my life. it's so far from perfect, but i savor every moment of it. it's way better than i ever thought life could be. and i thought life could be really great.
someday, i hope to make more money, so then life will be even better than it is now.
during this time of year, i wish i was a forever student in school because i love buying back to school supplies.
i used to want to be a teacher before i wanted to be a nurse, and during this time of year, i always wish i was a teacher so i could have my own classroom and supplies for all my students.
i am beginning to realize i am way more neurotic than i ever thought i was.
i have this overwhelming need to take care of people. maybe it's the baby hungry thing acting out.
i think my husband has a love/hate relationship with the above statement.
my husband wants kids, but he wants them when they are old enough to do chores.
i secretly laugh inside at how he will be with a newborn.
but then i get sad because i realize i will be the one getting up in the middle of the night with a kid. and i love to sleep. then i get scared to be a parent. but then i see a baby walk by and i am baby hungry again. seriously folks, it's ridiculous.
then i start thinking about funding children and i realize that i really need to make more money, like NOW.
i am itching for a getaway. maybe to california. i miss it there sometimes.
the hubs and i love to travel and have so many places we want to go. i really hope after kiddos come along that we can remember to take trips and spend time with each other.
i never believed in soul mates, but i am pretty sure there isn't a person on this earth i could get along with better with than the mr. he is the coolest man alive.
i think ikea is the greatest store ever created.
i have so many blessings in my life it's ridiculous. but i am grateful for them all.

HAPPY END OF SUMMER. BRING ON THE FALL!

seriously?

2010-07-21T16:33:00.003-06:00

how is this comfortable?
i swear this dog sleeps in the most twisted and contorted positions.

V-E-G-A-S

2010-07-21T16:12:00.005-06:00

last week we got to spend a few days in one of our favorite cities. las vegas! this trip was especially fun because we got to do more touristy things than we usually do. my mom, sister, and her kids met us down there, so there was fun for the whole family.
4 glorious days of...

lighting fireworks off on the indian reservation

laying by the pool. swimming in the lazy river.

walking the strip

seeing shows {frank caliendo. very funny man}

{after the show, my very mature husband wanted to take a picture with the naked lady statues in the back. man i love that guy}

eating fabulous meals. i didn't get a picture of our food, but if ever in vegas, eat at diego in the mgm grand. so yummy, i'm still full from it.

and splurging on things that are much too expensive...see above pictures for steve's $8 glasses he bought at a gas station on the way to vegas. our dear puppy ate his $150 pair before we left. then my sunglasses i've had for 5 years broke while we were in las vegas, so we both got a new pair of overpriced oakleys :)

and not to mention, seeing our good friends eric and jackie. we had a fabulous 3 hour meal of all you can eat sushi and managed to not get one picture of us. in fact, i didn't get a lot of pictures on this trip. busy having way too much fun.

we had such a great time in fact, i think we are planning another trip in september!
oh, and not to leave out, we saw this little roadside fire on the way down. and i thought vegas was HOT.

navajo lake

2010-07-21T15:03:00.009-06:00

a couple weeks ago, we took off for a short trip to one of our favorite places. navajo lake is a little gem outside of cedar breaks. beautiful scenery, good fishing, some good hikes nearby, and the camp sites are yummy. we went with steve's brother, ray, and 4 of his 5 kids. it felt so good to just get away and soak up some sun, lay in the hammock, and enjoy nature.
steve and i went here last year, and it is quickly becoming one of our favorite getaways. not to mention the dogs love it too.

{cedar breaks in the background}

{marley is not a fan of water. so when we threw a stick out too far, he would walk until he couldn't touch, and wait for jack to swim out and get the stick}

{then a game of "keep away" would ensue}

{and it would end with marley getting the stick and bringing it back to me to throw again}
{turns out jack is quite the swimmer. and the ham. trying to get in all the pictures}
{he doesn't look so big when he's all wet}

{nothing better than spending an evening fishing on the lake...}{turns out our 6 year old nephew caught the biggest fish of the trip}

{our sweet campsite. up against the hill by the trail head of a gorgeous hike that goes along the lake}
{view of the lake from the campsite}
{we had some visitors at dinnertime}
{goodbye navajo lake...until next time}
{and the pups slept all the way home}

summer is in 'da house

2010-06-25T10:54:00.008-06:00

Summer has arrived. as if the official first day of summer wasn't enough to mark it, perhaps the 95* heat is. either way, i'm stoked. not so much because i love the unnecessary heat it brings, but the sun and water are two of my favorite things, and now i can play in them for months!

steve and i have been super busy the last couple months with work. steve is in the middle of 11 days of work, including training. i have been picking up overtime here and there. we rented our house out and moved into my sister's basement the middle of may in hopes to save some moolah for the future. you know, to build our dream home and before those little rugrats come along. despite how busy we have been, we do have a few exciting trips planned for the summer.

navajo lake outside of cedar breaks. awesome fishing. we went there last year and can't wait to go again.

zions/st. george. just for one night, but hopefully we will get a hike or two in, and take in the scenery.

fabulous las vegas! enough said.
Lake Tahoe. Floating down the Truckee river and seeing an awesome car show. i'm stoked. i haven't ever seen tahoe without snow, so i can't wait.

Denver. Never been but excited to see a new city. and a prospective place to settle down?

And hopefully in the middle of all of these trips, a LOT of this...

HAPPY SUMMER EVERYONE!!!

never a boring day...well, not usually.

2010-05-18T21:10:00.004-06:00

for those of you who are interested in what my job is like. or for those of you who work with me, you will appreciate this.
i work in the er at a level 1 trauma center. it's also a burn center and a stroke center. so we see it all. granted, it's in salt lake city, utah, so there is probably a lot we don't see because the good stuff is happening elsewhere, but still. we see a lot.
here are a few highlights of the patients i've seen lately...
day 1-trauma 1 where woman gets impaled through the chest with a 2x2.
day 2-26 year old guy with a blood alcohol level of 617 (.617). for those who don't know, the legal limit to drive is 80 (.08)somehow, dude was still conscious enough to try and climb out of bed.
also day 2-18 year old dude comes in puking his guts out. says he had no alcohol to drink but took a drink from someone he didn't know. we already know this kid is going somewhere in life. ps. day 2 was a friday night, if you couldn't tell.
day 3-woman gives birth to baby in her van outside the er entrance. mom goes to labor and delivery. baby is blue and not crying. rushed back to er and pinked up. went up to see mom a few minutes later.
also day 3-woman comes in with ischemic stroke (clot obstructing blood flow to her head). woman given clot busting medication. woman then hemorrhages into her head, causing a second stroke in 1 day. now that sucks.
and those are just the patients from 1 week. i didn't even mention the people on bikes who get hit by cars and come in with their femurs (yes, plural) sticking out, or those that burn themselves intentionally and accidentally catch their significant other on fire. or the good old patients who stick things where they don't belong and can't get them out. or dudes who take "enhancing" medications and then are too shy to come to the er until the only form of treatment is sticking large needles in places where needles don't belong, or better yet, surgery where there is a filet and i don't mean food.
and people say nurses hardly work because we get 4 days off a week. but trust me, we need that 4 days after 3 days like that.

for the mama's

2010-05-09T01:03:00.005-06:00

just wanted to take a moment to say happy mother's day to all the mom's out there; especially to all the mom's who have played a role in my life.
my mother, my sister, my grandmother, my aunts, my sisters-in-law, my mother-in-law, my cousins, friends...there are so many beautiful women in my life and i am so grateful for the examples they are to me. i can only hope to one day be as awesome a mother as they are.
but really, i am a mom too.
to these two beautiful boys.

and this one too, it seems at times :)
a few of the beautiful mother's in my life.

Happy Mother's Day!

just for laughs

2010-05-03T15:08:00.002-06:00

don't go getting any ideas, but steve and i tried this site the other day. you put in your favorite things (music, seasons, colors, etc) and it generates baby names for you.
here is what we got...
Girls-Abigail, Briana, Cherry, Esther, Jetta, Julia, Laurel, Lila, Michelle, Natalie, Norine
Boys-Ace, Clint, Grant, Nathaniel, Oswald, Sean, Trevor
Unisex-Lindsay, Renee
funny how our favorite things could generate such non favorite baby names, but it was a good laugh at least.

click here to give it a try!

just like his brother

2010-05-01T21:50:00.002-06:00

apparently...
jack does it too. how did we get so lucky?

all in the family

2010-04-24T14:22:00.005-06:00

yesterday we went up to Ogden and watched my sister graduate from nursing school. yes, my family has yet another nurse in the family. it was so much fun to see her and how happy she is. i am so stinking proud of her and this accomplishment.
it was such a fun day to spend with family and help her celebrate her day. i remember when i graduated from nursing school and what a relief it was to know i didn't have to take anymore tests (with the exception of those pesky boards) or write anymore papers.
my aunt and grandma came up from california and it was so nice to visit with them.
what a beautiful day.
congratulations stephanie!!!

the graduate!

getting her diploma :)

3 generations, 5 nurses.

my l♥ve and me

west desert

2010-04-22T21:29:00.005-06:00

this week, steve and i went on a quick getaway to the west desert. it was just for one night, but it felt so good to get away and enjoy our first camping trip of the season.
we tried to get close to the wild horses, but all we saw were some antelope.
we enjoyed a nice hike behind our campsite. it got pretty hot.
but the dogs were able to eat some snow since mama forgot to take water on the hike.

we did some target practice.

i wasn't half bad.

loved our little campsite.
but the weather didn't hold out so great. there was some serious wind and rain that night. but our little tent held up quite nice. me, steve, jack, marley. one cozy, happy family in there.
and we packed up just in time for the hale storm. it started coming down, fast, and big old ice chunks. the poor pups were not fans. it soon let up and we enjoyed the scenic route home through cows, winding highways, and small towns. such a good time. but it sure felt good to get home and take a nice, hot shower.

dear husband

2010-04-17T21:34:00.003-06:00

i love you. more than those words can do justice to. i love the way you love me. i love you because you take me the way i am. i have never been a believer that there is one person for everyone, but i think God quite possibly made you just for me. or rather, me just for you since you are older than me. but still, we just go together so darn perfectly. you get me. i get you. and even when one of us makes the other mad or sad, we know how to make it better, and quickly. despite how nosy and "in your business" i always am, you put up with me and love me unconditionally. i just have to thank you for that. and i hope you know how grateful i am for you and that i used to pray for you. that God would let me find you, and that when i did, i would know. and boy did he let me know. i never ever thought that i would find my guy so quickly, but when it's right it's right. and with us, it's right. thank you for loving me and respecting me for who i am, even when i do something a different way than you would or disagree with you. thank you for letting me be neurotic and OCD. thank you for letting me be...me.
i love you not because you are perfect, but because you are perfect for me.

i♥u

inside my mind

2010-04-17T20:59:00.004-06:00

with the weather getting so gorgeous out, and steve being off of work for his surgery, you would think i had tons of exciting stories of us enjoying the outdoors and basking in the sun, but no. i don't have any of those for this year...yet. instead, i could tell you endless stories of patients at the er who have scabies that i now need to be treated for (preventatively of course), or women who complain about having an orgasm every 30 seconds. i mean, seriously, is that really a reason to visit an er? or the standard car accident with no seat belt who will probably never regain consciousness. because let's face it, if i can see your brain matter outside your skull, that's no bueno. hint:wear your seatbelt people!
but it's not going to be that kind of post. because really, i think the stories of er patients are only enjoyable to me, or others who have sick, twisted minds that have been tainted by years of working with/for the "best of salt lake", and i use that term loosely.
so instead, i am going to share with you all what has been on my mind lately. while i enjoy my brief glimpse of daylight during my drive home from work in a windowless er these last few days, watching the gorgeous sunset and seeing all of the people out enjoying walks and time at the park, i am reminded of the things i love.
i love the smell of fresh cut grass.
i love seeing the flowers and trees blooming with new life and that it reminds me of a fresh start.
i love seeing jack grow and become a big dog and how he and marley interact.
i love standing outside barefoot or in my flip flops and not being cold.
i love lingering outside on the porch or in the back yard talking about nothing and everything with the love of my life.
i love that while i am writing this post, the mr. is in the kitchen, apron on, cooking me dinner after a long day at work. AND he did the dishes. AND is now playing video games.
i love the smell of laundry. i seriously could and do sometimes do it all day long.
i love that the days are getting longer.
i love having my mom in town for awhile and that we can get together any day of the week.
i love sleeping under the starts. no tent, just under the stars, and the moon is so bright, you don't need a light.
i love the water and can't wait to put that suit on and jump in. well, i can wait to put the suit on, but i still want to jump in.
i love that it's baseball season.
i love that ruth's diner will soon be having their rib dinner on thursday nights.
i love that i can ride my bike. i just wish the hubs could ride his with me. stupid shoulder surgery.
i do NOT love that steve's surgery will probably prevent him from playing softball games this summer.
i am pretty sure i will love going to the drive-in if i can convince steve to take me.
i love how different our dogs are. their individual personalities make me love them even more.
i love that while i work and bring home "the bacon", steve is being such a good housewife while he's off work. doing laundry and all.
i love that even though steve looks like a mountain man (he hasn't shaved once since before his surgery 6 weeks ago), i still love him more than i did the day we got married.
i love that even though money sucks, life is still so good.
i love that i grew up by the beach and got to spend time sitting and watching the waves, with no one around.
i love that i learn something new everyday i work.
i love my family.
i love my imagination and that i am a daydreamer to the fullest extent of the word.
i love when you find out why something happened the way it did, when it didn't turn out how you thought it should (follow me on that one?)
i love country music.
i love going for drives with no particular destination.
i love pictures.
i love a clean house.
i love memories and that remembering something allows you to live it twice.
i love quotes.
i love dreams and hope for the future.
i love blogging and blog stalking. am i the only one out there? the hubs seems to think i am.
i love sweets. but my scale hates them.
i love that this list is so long and there is probably not one person still reading.
i love that jack johnson is totally on my "list" and steve is okay with that. heck, the guy is on steve's "list"
and i really think i could come up with a lot more things that i love, but i will spare you.
but seriously, there are just so many things in this life that make it awesome and i am so grateful that i am able to experience it. LIFE IS GOOD!

i just like this picture.

under the knife

2010-03-05T21:23:00.005-07:00

been busy taking care of this patient of mine...
poor guy. he was all smiles BEFORE the surgery. not so much now :(
healing is going well. he's got a pharmacy of meds to make him feel better, his own personal nurse, and two furry friends to keep him company. i never knew how awful shoulder surgeries were. but steve did. this is his 4th one.

these guys are helping him heal. therapy dogs, right?

positive thoughts and prayers are appreciated!

jackson hole anniversary trip

2010-03-05T15:31:00.007-07:00

we just got back from a quick trip to jackson hole to celebrate our anniversary. and man oh man was it a good time. i had never been there and steve hadn't been since he was a kid, so it was super fun to experience the area together. it was a gorgeous drive to jackson and the weather was beautiful. we stayed at the snow king resort which was really fun since there was a small ski resort attached to it. unfortunately, the whole area lacked the fresh powder we are getting from today's storm. we had a great time being lazy and having nothing to do but be with each other. i love this guy so much and it was so fun to get away with him for a few days. especially since steve had shoulder surgery awaiting him when we got home...
sorry for the OVERLOAD of pictures, but the trip was just that fun :)

our first stop was at soda springs in idaho. it's a beautiful little hidden gem off the highway with some cool history. this natural pool produces carbonated water that you can drink. very cool, but i am not, however, a huge fan of drinking the water.

driving into jackson along the snake river. such a gorgeous day and we even saw some mountain sheep on the slope. can't wait to visit this place in the warmer months and play in the river.
so sweet, steve arranged for rose petals to be spread all over the room. i think i'm gonna keep this guy :)
our view of the resort from our balcony. like i said, awesome weather, just a huge lack of anything resembling powder, even in the trees :(
view of jackson from the middle of the slope. the lift to the summit was closed that day, so this is as high as we could get. awesome view though. off to the right is the elk refuge and in the distance, the tetons.
i know this isn't a great picture of steve, but it's the best one of me, and i'm the one who does the blog, so...tough luck steve-o ♥
they built these arches all over town from the elk sheds found on the refuge each year.
thomas and joseph, our belgian horses who led the sleigh on the elk refuge. and our driver in the background.
such a cool place for elk to come during the harsh winters. they said there weren't as many this year due to the non-harsh winter. boo.

back at the elk refuge visitors center, we saw these "little" ladies. a mama and baby moose! the first live moose i have ever seen :)

on the way home, we stopped at my sister-in-law's parents' house. they have cattle and a lot of them are calfing right now. we got to play with the new babies. not really a huge fan of cows, but the babies are just so darn cute!

and lastly, meet grace. we watched one of the cows give birth, and in honor of the spectator, me, they named her grace. not sure if that is an honor, having a cow named after me, but whatev, i'll take it. pardon the slime, she is just a couple minutes old and mama is still cleaning her up.

can't wait for next year's trip!

1 year

2010-02-28T21:29:00.004-07:00

my how time flies when you are having fun. today is steve and my's 1 year wedding anniversary. a year ago today i married my best friend. what a great day! and boy did i love him then. but i had no idea how much more i could and would love him as time went on. i couldn't imagine my life without him and thankfully, i don't have to. he is my everything.
i have absolutely loved this year of marriage and seeing how much our relationship has grown. i love waking up to his mug every morning. i can't wait to have babies with him and see our family grow. i even can't wait until we are grey haired old folks sitting in rocking chairs on the porch watching the sunset. most of all i love that he loves me for who i am and that i can completely 110% be myself at all times, and he can do the same, and our love grows more each day. i think that is exactly how it should be. i sure feel like one lucky girl to have snatched up a hotty like steve.

HAPPY 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY BABALISH!

can't wait for the many many many more to come, you lucky dog :) and thank you for sharing your life with me and showing me how awesome love is. i must say, i'm a fan.

snow day

2010-02-18T09:49:00.007-07:00

just a few pics of the fam and what we've been up to lately. the dogs are getting along quite well, though jack beats up on marley unrelentlingly. poor marley has little puppy teeth scabs all over the place. the good thing is, he is learning to fight back more and more. and when you aren't looking, they are little cuddle bugs. brotherly love...

we went up mirror lake highway the other day and played in the snow for a bit. this is the best self portrait family picture we could get. it's a lot harder with 2 dogs now.

typical picture of how the boys eat their food.

jack has no concern for what his feet are standing in. he often steps in his water too and then spreads paw prints all throughout the house. fantastic.

jack was a natural in the snow. rolling all around and laying down in it. marley does great in the snow as well, but he's not one to roll around in it if he doesn't have to.

we took a lovely walk down to the river. so pretty.

the ice wasn't as thick as we thought and huge chunks of ice broke off right where we were standing. luckily we had cat like skills and stayed dry.

the pup wasn't so lucky and he got his first rude introduction to the water. amazingly, he was dry 5 minutes later.

then off to play around. see below marley demonstrating his regulatory skills on jack.
soaking up some sun, looking so regal.
thanks to steve for this photo of jack. just imagine how great it would be if we had a decent camera...
lounging in the sun and snow.
soooo tired on the way home. cuddling!
and for your own viewing pleasure...this is how we found jack napping the other day. i love this guy. he's got such energy, but when he sleeps, he sleeeeeeeps.

a few trips planned coming up. jackson hole for our anniversary (only 10 days away). i'm stoked because i have never been. and then in april, denver! also never been there. and after the denver trip, it will be camping time again! can't wait for the warmer months so we can play outside more. but we may have to shave jack so he doesn't overheat. poor guy pants just laying in the house.

brotherly luuuuuuv

2010-02-08T10:00:00.007-07:00

the first few days we had jack, we weren't sure how well the two dogs would get along. marley was very interested in jack, but jack was so docile and scared. we were hoping it would get better as jack got more comfortable around us.
well he did get more comfortable. and it did get better. jack suddenly got very interested in marley and wanted to play ALL THE TIME. marley was being a bit of a stinker to jack and ignored him, not wanting to play, but instead lay down and catch some zzzzz's as he does best. it's so funny to see the different personalities. marley's goal each day is to sleep in, eat some food and water, maybe get a quick run in, and then go back to sleep, on the couch or bed if he can finagle it. jack on the other hand, wants to play from sun up to sun down, only sleeping and eating to get enough energy to play again.
we were hoping that by getting a puppy, he might make marley more active and marley will help the puppy to mellow out and catch on to training a little easier.
well...it seems to be working out the way we had hoped. the other night, we caught these two doing this...

i was a little worried before we got a puppy that marley would think i didn't love him anymore or that he was being replaced, but he's taking it quite well and i must say i really enjoy having two dogs. now if we could just teach jack to walk on a leash so we could take him up to the mountains with us.
here are a few other pictures of them fighting. notice how jack goes straight for the neck and already dominates on marley.
ps. pay attention to this puppy's paws. he's going to be huge!

happy february

2010-02-04T09:53:00.004-07:00

so i have been noticing i haven't been blogging much and i've been trying to think of what i could blog about, but i realized, there just isn't anything. it's winter. it's cold. the air sucks. the snow sucks. so we stay at home and watch our reality tv shows. so i wish i could say i have just been a lazy blogger, but really, we are just boring people lately.
however, february is off to a good start. we have been having some major dog park fun. marley is a surprisingly good snow dog and he loves running around, playing with the dogs, and trying to keep up with all the fast dogs in fetch. he's had so much fun in fact, that he can barely jump up on the bed or into the truck because he's so sore. the poor pads on his feet are practically raw from running on the icy cold snow for so long.
my beautiful mother is here visiting for an entire month! her company has an office in salt lake so they allowed her to work out of that office for this month. she is here to help with my sister's kids while she is in her last semester of nursing school. it will be fun to have her close by and get to see her more often for the next month.

and lastly, but definitely not least...meet jack.
he is our new german shepherd puppy. a timid little thing, but getting more comfortable each day. we love him already and have had an interesting time learning how to housebreak a puppy. when i got marley, he was about a year, so he was already housebroken and knew basic commands. we are starting from scratch with this little guy.
marley has been pretty great about having him around. he's very interested in the new little guy, but leaves him alone for the most part. if anything, i think marley feels a little put out that there is a new four legged friend in the house. so i'm trying to be good at spreading my love around equally. though ssshhhhh...secretly, marley will always be my #1 boy. steve can have this new puppy. but hopefully by the time we have more than one kid around here, i will have mastered making them both feel plenty loved.
february is also great because our anniversary is coming up on the 28th. i can't believe it's been a year since i married my best friend. he's seriously the coolest guy around and i have loved being married more than i can say. i can't wait to celebrate our first year together and all the ones to come after that.

one lucky girl

2010-01-25T04:50:00.002-07:00

just have to say how lucky i am to have steve as my husband. he not only makes me laugh, protects me, loves me unconditionally, and makes me want to be a better person, but he does really sweet things for me that make me love him even more each day.
when we bought our house, we knew it needed some fixing up, and we liked that. but i don't think we realized how much time, money, and effort the fixing up would take. initally we bit off a huge chunk of remodeling and since then, it has taken a backseat to other things. i love what we have done to our house so far, but one thing we haven't even touched is our master bedroom. and let's face it, we spend a huge chunk of our time in there because 1.we are newlyweds, and 2.we are homebodies who like to watch tv in bed.
i admit i have complained/whined here and there about how i wish we could paint our room. it just seemed like such a daunting task with all the furniture already in there and there never seems to be a big enough chunk of time to get the whole room done in a day.
well, my cute little husband planned a little painting party behind my back. the other night while i was at work (a graveyard shift), steve had his brother and our nephew come up to the house and help him paint the room. they were up until 2am painting and steve had to be at work at 7am. i got home from a long night at work to a beautifully, newly painted bedroom. it makes the room 100 times better. and now we can actually hang pictures that have been waiting until the paint job was done.
i just can't say enough how much i love this man. he makes my world brighter and happier than i ever thought it could be and i am so grateful i am lucky enough to be with someone who works so hard to make me happy. i only hope i make him feel the same way.

the golden state

2010-01-08T03:39:00.002-07:00

last weekend, steve and i went to california for a much needed visit. we hadn't been back since getting married almost a year ago.
our friends were having their big wedding celebration and thankfully, we were able to time to the trip so we could go witness the celebration. i had never been to a greek wedding before, but my was it an experience. an experience that included an open bar with ouzo, which led to the mother of the groom dancing on top of one of the tables.
we had a great time at the wedding and are so happy for our friends!
we are also mucho happy to have had a few days in california. the sunshine and warm weather was just what we needed in the midst of a cold, and what seems like an almost snowless winter :( we got to see a lot of family and friends who we haven't seen in awhile, and i was able to be reunited with my flip flops for 4 glorious days! i really miss the beach sometimes. but then again, i love the 4 seasons...you can see the dilemma.
it was a truly fabulous trip and it makes me so anxious to go back again...maybe for good?

ps. i know i am awful at including pictures with these posts. add to the list below, goal #17, to take more pictures and be a better blogger!

happy 2010

2009-12-31T21:32:00.000-07:00

man, i'm so pumped for this new year. not that 2009 was bad. i married the love of my life and it has been the best time of my life. i just love new years. the feeling of starting new and making resolutions. good times.
i have't had much time to think about what my resolutions will be, but here are some of the old classics mixed in with some new ones.
1.lose weight. eat better. become healthier. gotta love this one.
2. be more organized.
3.become a better wife.
4. travel
5.enjoy the outdoors.
6.decide where we want to live and make plans to get there.
7.complete our puzzle we just started.
8.finagle my work schedule so i can go to church more. be a better member of my church.
9. keep in touch with people more.
10.be more thoughtful of others and their needs.
11. become more financially stable.
12.get to the temple more often.
13.learn to cook/bake more. and actually do it.
14.exercise marley more.
15. expand my hobbies.
16.get pregnant???

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

better late than never

2009-12-26T11:42:00.000-07:00

so i meant to do this a few days ago, but ran out of time. steve was working christmas eve and christmas. i somehow scored both days off, but christmas just isn't the same with me and marley and no steve. so maybe next year will be our actual first christmas TOGETHER. but with our jobs...who knows?
last night we went to steve's brothers house for a nice dinner and gift exchange. of course, i didn't take one stinking photo the entire time and have nothing to show for christmas.
so i give you these videos. i really love christmas and all it stands for. but i feel like i just didn't have it together this year. so i am ready to put this one behind me and have bigger hopes for being more on top of things next year. on the brighter side, being behind on the commercialism of the holiday did give me more time to pay attention to what christmas really means though.

and now, i give you our holiday sentiments. from our home to yours. enjoy!

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/b3aZwZVMybTnHl4z5DXq

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/pGknKOJZPD7yihJmlzqT

california love

2009-12-18T23:44:00.000-07:00

i just booked 2 tickets to california for the beginning of january. one of steve's best friends that he grew up with is gettin' hitched so we are going to go down and take part in the festivities. i am so excited to be back in california. we haven't been since our wedding. simply too long i tell you.
don't get me wrong. i do love the winter and the snow and the cold, but this trip is coming at a perfect time. we can both take a break from work, the cold, our everyday "stuff" that keeps us busy, and just relax in the warmth. go for a walk on the beach. smell the ocean air. and eat some gooood eats that we don't have here in utah. we're going to have a blast!
now if we can just find some tickets to the lake show while we are there...

picture of the day

2009-12-14T23:35:00.000-07:00

the other day we came home from church and laid on the bed to rest for a bit. i invited marley up on the bed to lay with us and i must have dozed off.
i'm not sure how this was comfortable enough a position to sleep in, but it was.
man i love our dog.

the temple square thing

2009-12-14T23:08:00.001-07:00

tonight steve and i, along with my mom, his mom, my sister, her kids, and our niece went downtown to see the annual "lights at temple square". it started out with a yummy dinner at california pizza kitchen at the gateway. then we grabbed some cookies and hot chocolate and jumped on trax to temple square.
it's something we do every year and every year the lights are the same, but every year it is so dang beautiful. the temple alone is gorgeous, and add to it the lights and christmas cheer, and it is that much better. despite the cold, we enjoyed our treats, the lights, and the company.
here are some pictures to enjoy...until next year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

now i get it

2009-12-11T00:58:00.000-07:00

so tonight was supposed to be dinner and shooting some pool with my sister night, but after eating dinner while waiting for a pool table to open up, and at 9:30pm, no table was open yet, we decided to see if there was a movie playing. of course, twilight was playing like every 10 minutes at the theater, so we decided to see that. my sister is all about these books/movies, so she had already seen it about 3 times, but was more than willing to see it again, for steve and my's benefit. we saw the first one and enjoyed it, but i was not about to stay up until midnight to sit through this one. especially since the 9:55pm showing is as late as i have been up in quite some time.
nonetheless though, we thoroughly enjoyed new moon, more than the first twilight episode. i'm on the edge of my seat in anticipation for the next one. and to make it even better, i found out the next movie comes out this summer. sweet deal. still not going to buy tickets in advance and still not going to see it at midnight the night it opens though. but i will see it. eventually. i have to. because after this movie, i am now OFFICIALLY.....TEAM JACOB. and so is steve. i mean, i know the kid is only like 16, and i could be put away for a very long, long time for doing some of the things that ran through my mind when i saw him take his shirt off in this movie, but he's "somewhat beautiful" :) and just plain old better than edward.
so there. i've chosen my side. and now i am off to dream about the excitement to come in the next chapter of this twilight saga...

the month in review...it's a long one folks

2009-12-09T18:56:00.000-07:00

the holiday season is here. yay for that! i love love love this time of year, more than i can say. something about the snow just makes everything better. but then again, i do love myself a hot summer day lying on the beach. but for now, it's winter, and i'm in SNOW mode.
it seems like it took forever for it to snow. but at least it's here. and it seems like it's here to stay.
i was all about halloween, and it took me until the day before thanksgiving it seems to get all the thanksgiving decorations up. steve and i hosted our first thanksgiving at our house. of course steve cooked the bird and my sister did dessert, so i did nada and it was fantastic. i love hosting parties, but never seem to do any of the work. score!
thanksgiving day, we were all over christmas. lights up on the house, christmas mode. then we took an intermission to go elk hunting.
steve has loved hunting for many years and i decided i better learn to love it as well. so i tagged along on the boys trip down to the fishlake area. cold temperatures, snow, lots of elk, and best of all, a fifth wheel to sleep in! it was complete with 5am wake up time, driving and hiking up and down snowy roads, stalking elk through binoculars from hundreds of yards away and trying to figure out a way to get to them through thick pines and steep terrain. we came away from it with a great story, but a controversial one, so i will keep the details off the blog. in the end, the only elk we came home with were a few legs from an elk that someone else got that are marley's new chew toys. elk season isn't over yet though, so keep those fingers crossed. although buying a freezer to keep an elk in isn't on the top of my christmas list.

marley gnawing on some elk legs...yum!
so beautiful up there. poor steve can't open his eyes to take a picture if the sun is shining our direction. that's the best we could do. ps, this trip was the first time i've worn camo, in my life. i quite liked it.

sure was cold on the lake. and yes, that is our dog relieving himself in the background. gotta love him.doesn't marley look like he's having a good time out on the ice?the scratch marks from his claws just scream "good time". is that considered child abuse?marley was tuckered after a few days in the great outdoors.

anyways...we are home for now, enjoying our heater and comfy bed. christmas decorations are up, tree decorated, scentsy melting some yummy christmas smells. cookies and ginerbread baking. and of course, some home projects on the side. we are on vacation, but home. i love it. time to do anything and everything and hang out with my 2 favorite boys. and since steve isn't working for a few weeks, he can have a beard. oh how i love facial hair on him! mmm.
oh yes, and christmas cards sent. this is the first year i've done this and i loved putting them together. i think there is a little martha stewart somewhere deep down inside me that wants to come out. i just wish i had the time and money to let her out. maybe someday.
other news, steve got to work the utah/byu game. sad ending, but cool experience for him to work on the field.

love this guy in uniform!

so now i sit in my warm, cozy home, while my husband plays on the no sex box. i love my life. i love my family. i love the Gospel. i am thankful everyday for everything i have. i love this time of year and i can't wait for Christmas, but i will be sad to see it pass for another year.

steve's stocking. you can't tell very well in the picture, but it's hanging on our front door, measuring about 3 feet tall. we dressed marley up in some festive wear. he wasn't digging on it.

this picture says it all. again, child abuse?this is as festive a picture as i could get from the bugger.

regardless. HAPPY DECEMBER EVERYONE!

HAPPY TURKEY DAY!

2009-11-25T23:16:00.000-07:00

it's that time of year. the time of year to think about all of the many things you have to be grateful for. it kills me that as a society, we only do this once a year. i wish i could say i was different. i may think about it more than once a year, but i'm sure i don't think about it as often as i should.

so for myself, and for anyone else who might be interested, here is a list of some of the many many things i am grateful for...

1.my husband. he is the best thing that has ever happened to me. i actually do thank God everyday for him.

2. the rest of my family. they are such incredible sources of strength and support and i'm sad i don't get to see them more often.

3. marley. the cutest darn boxer i've ever known. always knows how to cheer me up and make me smile.

4.the wonderful family i married into. they are so close and i love being part of that.

5.my house. i'm grateful for the roof over my head. the heater that keeps me warm in the winter. the ac that cools me off in the summer. a place to decorate and call home.

6.the gospel. i can't even tell you how lost i would be without the gospel in my life. there are honestly no words that would give justice to the way i feel about my savior and the gospel. i'm just so grateful that i get to be imperfect and continually strive to be more like Him.

7.my eternal marriage. as if it wasn't awesome enough to marry my best friend and get to spend all day everday of our waking moments together. i get to be with him FOREVER. i can't even fathom that and the idea of it brings a huge smile to my face.

8.my car. i'm grateful i have a reliable car to get me from point A to point B with no worries. not only does it do that, but it has seat warmers in it! :)

9.my job. especially in these economic times, i am so grateful to be gainfully employed, and actually make decent money and not worry about if i will be "let go".

10.food on the table. i'm grateful that i have never had to go hungry. although going hungry might help me lose a few.

...those are the main ones, but here is a smattering of other things i am grateful for.

11.socks to keep my feet warm

12.shoes on my feet

13.clothes.

14.water

15.pictures

16.computers

17.a big bed to sleep on

18.decorations for my house

19.friends to talk to

20.journals-which are there at 4am when you get home from work and there is no friend to talk to.

21.jewlery

22.makeup. trust me, you are all grateful i have this one as well.

23.imagination

24.hope and faith

25.tivo

26.affection and intimacy

27.music

28.knowledge, my education, and the ability to continually learn new things.

29.a husband who works hard and puts up with me and all that comes with me.

30.memories.

31.where i grew up.

32.all of my husband's many talents.

33.his sense of humor and always knowing how to make me feel like the most special girl in the world.

34.a husband who cooks.

... you get the idea. the list could really go on and on, but this is what came to mind. i really am a lucky girl and have so very much to be grateful for this holiday season and throughout the year.
the picture above was taken the other day when steve and i hosted thanksgiving for our family. we both have to work on thanksgiving so we had an early thanksgiving. it was a fabulous time filled with family and food. two of my favorite things.

i hope you all have a great holiday and can take a moment to think of the blessings you have in your life.

waterworks

2009-11-22T00:11:00.000-07:00

ever have those days when you are ultra sensitive and have no reason to be? those days when everyone is on your nerves? those days when your psychiatric patient who can't even tell you where she is calls you a b#&$% and you want to go in the bathroom and cry? those days when you cry so dang much your eyes are practically swollen shut? those days when you have to tell people "i have allergies" when they ask why your eyes are watering and they say "you look tired". thanks, like that helps.
ugh. i've had those days. i'm having them now. so if you see me and "i look tired", just smile and keep walking because chances are, anything you say to me will probably make me cry.

man it sucks to be a girl sometimes...

a post about nothing really

2009-11-09T01:57:00.000-07:00

ooh, a new post! but don't get too excited. it's really not anything fabulous, but i feel bad if i don't say SOMETHING every once and awhile.
so i will give you an update.

the house is de-halloweened. decorations down, stored away for another year. small tear comes to my eye in that process because i so dearly love halloween.
thanksgiving decorations are out of storage, but not out on display yet. i mean, de-halloweening took AT LEAST 20 minutes. i can only do so much in one day.
i am fully listening to christmas music every chance i get.

that's about it for me. happy monday to everyone!

33

2009-11-05T21:34:00.000-07:00

today my darling husband, the love of my life, the sexiest man i know, turned 33.

last night we got to go to the grizzly hockey game. we got awesome rinkside tickets, 1st row! AND we got a puck that flew over the glass. AND steve got his name on the big screen at the E center. pretty cool.

We had a fairly lazy day today complete with a massage, movie, and dinner. oh yes, and presents. recently steve's xbox got the dreaded "3 rings of death" after we had already gotten it repaired once. don't ask me why, but being the loving wife that i am, i got the guy a new xbox. i sort of had to, since my original gift to him was a new xbox game. i'm sure i will regret this decision come november 10th and he is elbow deep in xbox live, call of duty fest. but alas, i can't help myself. i just love to see the kid smile.

i'll spare you all my list of 33 things i love about this man and just say this little ditty...
i love you more than anything babe. more than i ever thought possible. i'm so grateful for everyday i get to spend with you and i look forward to all the birthdays to come!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

my husband is back!

2009-10-26T06:30:00.000-06:00

well deer season is officially donzo. no more po-lice training for the husband for at least a week. 2 1/2 blissful days of nothing to do, but hang out with each other. poor guy. i'm going to smother him. but i can't help it. i like him A LOT and i've missed him A LOT. so there probably won't be a lot to blog about in the next week because i will be doing things that are well, more fun. don't take it personally. i'll be back soon enough. the work week starts on thursday.

welcome, welcome

2009-10-26T00:04:00.000-06:00

welcome to our new blog! someone told me i could import my old blog to the new one, but technology is not my friend, and alas, i couldn't figure it out. i will keep trying, but for now, you will have to put up with this lowly welcome post.
i figured steve and i have been married for 8 months, it's about time i get a "family" blog. so, here it is. the "family" blog. we hope you enjoy it!

*addendum* i figured out how to import the old blog posts. man i really am computer illiterate. i think my 5 year old nephew could have done it.

my hunk bags bucks

2009-10-16T13:59:00.000-06:00

this morning i woke up early to kiss my husband goodbye for 3 days while he goes up into the wasatch mountains to kill himself a buck. i don't know how my husband, who grew up in the greater LA area became such a hunter, but boy does he love it! and so i am a hunter's wife. i even have a shirt he bought me that says "this babe bags bucks". if you're lucky, maybe i will take a picture of me in it and post it here for you all to see. as much as i don't want to buy an entire freezer just to stuff deer meat into, i am hoping with all my might that he "bags a buck" this year. it just makes him so happy. it makes me cry to think of bambi's being killed, but he has told me all about how hunting helps population control. it's still sad though.
so send your good vibes his way these next 3 days. and if he doesn't get a buck, well, elk season is just around the corner!

sicker than a dog

2009-10-04T16:02:00.000-06:00

steve came home sick from work yesterday and had to call out for today.
so did his coworker.
they are sick because they ate at Big Ed's.
so, moral of the story. don't eat at Big Ed's...unless you need a colon cleansing.

this is my season

2009-10-04T15:55:00.000-06:00

Happy Fall!

...from our home to yours.

i dreamt my house was clean.

2009-09-27T19:00:00.000-06:00

this...

has been sitting there...

for a week. along with the dust on the dresser. and the dishes in the sink. and the dirt on the floor.

i need to clean. ma. house.BAD.

true love

2009-09-26T19:24:00.000-06:00

today while i was at work, counting down the hours, minutes until i get to rush home to the arms of my loving husband, i get the following text from the man himself.

"u make me happy...darn happy. i am so glad we married in the temple so i can bother you forever"

i think that says it all. this man truly loves me.
and you know what? i love him back.

dogs will be dogs

2009-09-24T08:54:00.000-06:00

does anyone else's dog do this? when marley has to pee, he just goes if we are outside. but then he feels like he will be left behind, so he starts walking with you while peeing. the end result is this picture. sadly, this wasn't even at our house. this was at our friends' house in vegas while they dog sat for us this summer. sorry eric and jackie! thankfully, it's nothing a hose can't fix. funny dog...

so blessed. seriously.

2009-09-23T20:51:00.000-06:00

i was driving home from work today and got to thinking how gosh darn happy i am. i read other blogs and it's so fun to see all our friends and family having so much fun! i think i get so caught up in reading other blogs and enjoying myself vicariously, that i forget to share with others just how much fun steve and i are having.
we have been married for just about 7 months now and i have loved every stinking second. marriage is definitely an adjustment, but one i am happily accommodating to. i am so lucky to have a man to come home to each day and who tells me he loves me. i am so head over heels, inexplicably, seriously never thought i could be made for someone more than i am for him, in love with this man. i treasure every moment we have to spend with each other and i'm just that much more grateful that we are sealed together for time and all eternity. it has been such a great ride so far and i am excited for all the adventures that lie ahead for us.
steve started working day shift back in august and i have been lucky enough to get some day shifts at work as well. it's great to be able to get up together and go to work together and come home and be together at night. i especially love the drive home this time of year. it's that perfect time of day where it's starting to cool down, and the sun is just setting behind the mountains in the distance, over the salt lake. the 20 minute drive home makes me appreciate so much, the land we live in and the blessings i have in my life.
honestly, my heart is so full, i have no words to express how i feel. but still, i try my darndest. i hope more than anything that everyone experiences this kind of happiness. it's awesome!
once again, i have a new resolve to blog more, but i have failed at this in the past. so here's hoping this time it sticks!
sidenote, i realized i never posted pictures of our wedding, so here are a few to enjoy!

the reception was at my grandmother's beach house. one of my favorite places in the world!

my favorite restaurant back home catered the wedding. mm,mm, fantastic!
sprinkles cupcakes. mouth. is. watering.
i think i may love my ring as much as i love steve
cheers!

the first 6 months...

2009-08-31T17:50:00.000-06:00

just the other day, steve and i had our 6 month anniversary. for all you married folk out there, i know that doesn't seem like much of anything, but for me, it's a milestone. i've never been married for 6 months before. and boy did the time fly! i guess what they say is true, "time flies when you are having fun".

i have told steve, probably more than he wants me to, how much i love him and how much fun i have with him. but i want to tell you all publicly, how gosh darn head over heels, makes my heart flutter, butterflies in my stomach, more than words can express, in love i am with my husband! marriage is the best thing ever and i am so happy i have found someone who wants to enjoy this adventure with me. and it's going to last FOREVER! woohoo!
here are 6 of my favorite things about marriage...

1.i get to go to sleep and wake up everyday next to my best friend.

2. i have someone to share everything with.3. we get to dream about and make a life with each other.4. i get to say and hear i love you everyday.5.the boy is pretty and makes me laugh all the time.

6. i get to spend ALL my time with him.

man this marriage thing is the bomb. and the boy i'm married to is pretty darn cool as well. i can't wait for the next 6 months, and the forever after that!

i realized i never really posted any pictures from the big day, so here are a few of my favorites. enjoy!

my loves

2009-08-18T19:32:00.000-06:00

the other day i walked into our room and found this...
as much as he may say he doesn't like marley, i know steve loves him. these two share a special bond and i just love my two boys!
i also love this picture because it makes me realize that no matter what might be going on in life or what stresses we may be dealing with at any given time, the most important things are right in front of me.

isn't life grand?

thankful thursdays

2009-07-30T13:26:00.000-06:00

i would feel bad if i didn't do this. i've seen it on other blogs so here goes...

i'm thankful for:
1. our jobs!
2. our house, and the able hands we have to fix it up
3. our oh so big and comfortable bed
4. food on the table
5.cars, bikes-the ability to get from point a to point b
6. the love we have for each other
7. the gospel and temples
8.the great outdoors that are in our backyard and all the fun we get to have in them
9.friends and family who give us so much love and support
10.camera
11.marley boy
12.knowledge and memories
13.good neighbors

...there is a lot more i could write down, but i need to have something for next thursday!

summer time, and the livin's easy

2009-07-28T22:38:00.000-06:00

i haven't been much of a blogger lately, so here is a quick wrap up of what we have been up to this summer...

MIRROR LAKE HIGHWAY. this canyon is one of our favorites. a few weeks ago, steve's brother took some of his kids camping at trial lake. steve and i went up for a day trip to hang out with the famdamily, fish, and soak up some sun. it was so dang beautiful up there. one of my favorite lakes and campgrounds i've seen, but man were the mosquitos bad. poor steve and marley were being eaten alive! they were so bad the fishing was no fun and his niece is the only one who caught a fish before we called it a day and headed home early. i love summer and camping in the great outdoors, but i really wish the mosquitos would take a hike!marley boy playing fetch

steve helping tyler get ready to do some fishing
our nephews adam and blake the only fish caught

AMERICAN FORK CANYON. last week steve and i headed up american fork canyon, along with his mom and his brother's family. we had some good times playing in the river, eating tin foil dinners, and watching fireworks.
our nephew david after he fell in the river

yellow watermelon?

even marley boy got a tin foil dinner...

...and then he needed a nap

starting a fire the old school way...

that's my eagle scout!

GLITTER TOES! steve and i have a friend who does glitter toes and she came over to my sister's house the other night and gave us all pedicures. then steve thought marley needed some painted toes as well, so...

our poor tormented dog, with pretty pink nails

and our glitter toes! mine are the ones on the right. fyi.

hope you all are having a fabulously fun summer...we are!

i love to see the temple

2009-07-28T21:45:00.000-06:00

yesterday, steve and i had the chance to go to the oquirrh mountain temple open house. a little late, as it's the last week it's open before dedication, but better late than never right?
man is it pretty! i mean, it's a temple so of course it's pretty, but this is one of the prettier ones in my opinion. i love the smaller temples. there is just something about them. and it's always fun to be able to tour a new temple. it just renews my desire to go back, and go back often, to the temples we have all around us.
temples truly are a little piece of heaven on earth and i love the opportunity i have to visit temples. it is an amazing feeling to be in there, and to be closer to Heavenly Father.
if you have a chance i would totally recommend seeing the temple, or any open house for that matter. for more info visit www.lds.org

life as of late

2009-07-14T23:18:00.000-06:00

well #1, life seems to be so busy with other things, it's hard to find time to write about it and share it with others. but for myself, and those few who read, here is what we have been up to lately.

Las Vegas...the end of june, our niece (my brother's daughter) alex turned 10. lucky girl scored a weekend in vegas for her party. luckily, we were able to get some discounted hotel rates and were able to meet up with some of my family to help celebrate her big day and spend time with each other.

i had to work the night before we left, so steve was a trooper and drove the whole way to vegas on his own.

there it is, in the distance...VEGAS!

all of us packed into the car, including marley. he stayed with some friends of ours while we were at the hotel so we could take him camping with us on the way back. thanks eric and jackie!
and ps. steve took this little family portrait while driving. don't try this at home. he took a class...twice.

my mom, sister, and me. love those ladies!enjoying some time poolside.
it was a great trip. good food, great hotel, fabulous company. and i even learned how to play blackjack and pai gow poker. good times.

on the way back from vegas, steve and i had a couple extra days off of work, so we took the scenic route and stopped off in cedar breaks and bryce canyon.

enjoyed the red rocks...

cedar breaks

then on to bryce...

camping in the great outdoors...

marley seriously enjoyed himself. maybe he is a nature dog afterall.

i learned, or tried to learn how to cut some wood. not as easy as you would think.happy family all snuggled into the tent. i think marley had more room than steve or i did.
tent hog.swimming in the lake. doesn't marley look like he's having a grand old time?

feeding "exotic" deer...

...and spotting some wild ones (and elk)

there were deer seriously all over the place!

and we even spotted a few elk. this was the last picture i could get before my camera died, but we spotted a group of about 5 other elk, a bunch of big males. so cool! i had never seen any before.

steve has been keeping busy playing in his two softball leagues, and marley and i enjoy being his #1 fans.

our garden is doing so-so. we are getting a couple of plants to produce, but i think the soil here needs some TLC before next year so we can get better results.
it's fun being a homeowner, but overwhelming at times too. especially when you buy a 50+year old house. there is so much we want to do, but there is only so much time and money to work with. we have learned the value of patience and will continue to do so as we work on this little gem.
i realize i still have not posted any pictures of our place. this next week we will be working on it, so i will try to get some photos to post.
so for the next little while, it's just a lot of working (at our jobs, and on the house) and waiting for the next little get away...whether it be camping, a quick weekend trip, or to california. ah, the beach. i miss it so much at times like this. maybe i should check flights...

happy father's day

2009-06-21T22:21:00.000-06:00

just a quick happy father's day to all the father's out there. i especially want to say happy father's day to steve. although he may not "technically" be a father yet, he is a fabulous father to our marley boy. and i know he will be an excellent father to our children in the future. just look at the love these two share.

i have to admit...

2009-06-21T17:58:00.000-06:00

i am LOVING all this rain and the storms we are getting. that's all.

fun in the sun...and the snow?

2009-06-17T18:11:00.000-06:00

the other day we had a million things on our "to do" list. after recovering from our work week by sleeping in until 1pm, steve and i rolled out of bed, well, rolled over in bed, and started talking. after going over all the things we "should" do that day, we opted for something we "wanted" to do that day.
we packed up the car, loaded ourselves and marley in the subi, and hit the road. one of our favorite places in utah is parley's canyon, and going up into the uintahs along mirror lake highway. it's just such a beautiful and peaceful drive. and this time of year, it's still pretty deserted, but so green. it was awesome. it felt like we had the whole park to ourselves!
the sun was out, the sky was blue, there were some awesome scattered clouds in the sky, and there was us. our little family of 3, driving down the road, enjoying some music and the scenery, and of course, each other (gag, i know, but hey, we are still newlyweds!)
we got out of the car at a few different spots to hike a bit and enjoy the water. it was just the perfect day. even though there were so many things we should have done instead, the moment we got up in the mountains, all those cares went away, and there was nowhere i would have rather been.
we drove up to the summit, and were surprised to see quite a bit of snow still up there. it got to be a cool 46 degrees at the top, but it was so awesome!

our attempt at a family picture

marley drinking some water, er, snow

after playing around in the sun, snow, and water, we headed back into salt lake for steve's softball game. the team got a W, and i felt complete satisfaction. what a day!
it's days like that that make me so grateful for my life. sure it isn't perfect, but it sure comes close, thanks to all the blessings i have.

Dr. Grace?

2009-04-11T04:09:00.000-06:00

Big news, I got into grad school! I start the doctorate nurse practitioner program in family practice in august. holy crap. 8 semesters and i will be a doctor. ha!. now, scholarship time. wish me luck!

from the mind of grace

2009-03-29T05:25:00.000-06:00

a few thoughts that have been running through my mind.
well, it's just about official. i'm no longer a collings. man i had no idea how much work it took to change your last name. if only i could make one stop, fill out a form, and wham bam, thank you mam, have it be done. but noooo, i have to make a separate stop for every little stinking thing that is in my name. boy is it time consuming! and of course all of those "legal" type places aren't in and out kind of places. more like in, wait 30 minutes at least, then finally take care of business. ugh. now i know why people stay married. it's not for love, it's to avoid the hassle of changing your name again.
in other news, life seems like it's just about back to normal. i am getting used to the idea of being a married woman and having a husband. still feels weird to say "my husband" or be called a rawson, but i am enjoying nonetheless.
school is busy as ever. i have been second guessing my desire to go through 8 more semesters of studying, cramming, late nights, assignments. but as of now, i'm still in it. that is, if i get accepted to the program. so i have been waiting to hear something, anything from the nursing department about my application. on thursday, i get a message from an advisor in the nursing department saying someone has been trying to get a hold of me (calling, leaving voicemails, emailing) to schedule an interview. and that since they have not heard back from me, they assume i am withdrawing my application. i called the lady back and explained to her that i had not gotten any calls, voicemails, or emails from anyone and that of course i am not withdrawing my application. she apologized and then informed me that they were finishing up interviews that afternoon and asked if i could be there for an interview in 2 hours. holy moly! talk about winging it. but i think it went okay and rushing it didn't give me much time to stress about it. so anyway, they should be letting all the applicants know within the next couple weeks. so fingers crossed!
steve is out of work for the next month because he tore his rotator cuff and labral cartilage in his right shoulder when he slipped on some ice just before we got married. he is going to try PT for a month and try to avoid surgery. but if the PT doesn't work, then it looks like surgery might be the option. poor guy, it's killing him not to be able to work right now. he loves his job so much and i think he's going stir crazy sitting at home all the time. he can't even golf to fill his time.
so that's pretty much our life these days. the house is still coming together, slooooowly, but surely. it's fun to have projects, but on the other hand, i would like it to be all put together and decorated already.

at home with the rawson's

2009-03-09T21:19:00.000-06:00

last night was my first night back at work since the wedding. i was half looking forward to going back and seeing people, and half dreading getting back to "real life". not to mention i haven't been feeling super swell the last few days, and i wasn't looking forward to leaving my new husband at home while i went off and had to work. but i did, and the night went well. 7am rolled around and i was out the door on my way home to crawl in bed with my boys (steve and marley). when i got home, i saw this on my nightstand.
my heart melted. i thought it was so sweet that he thought of me and got me these beautiful flowers and arranged them and had them waiting for me when i got home. that just made my day. but it got better. then he showed me this.
people who know me, know i love cereal. it's my staple food. and i ran out of cereal yesterday and had none for today. so steve being the intune and sweet, sweet man that he is, got me a refill. love that guy. but it doesn't end there.
after i slept off the night shift and woke up to go to class, i came home to this.
and this...
steve made the yummiest home made meal on the BBQ in our snow filled backyard. the whole time we were dating, i'm not sure we even made a home cooked meal together. and don't get me wrong, i didn't help with this meal either, but i was at least present while he cooked it :) i love that steve cooks, because i definitely don't. oh, don't think i'm finished. it keeps going.
while steve was busy cooking away, i was just sitting on my lazy bum and blurted out i thought it would be nice if we could have a candle burning because i think they make everything seem so cozy. man am i whiney? i'm so glad steve puts up with me. and since our house is in shambles, you can imagine i have no idea where a candle would be, if it's even at the house yet. i thought nothing of my comments and went on munching on "appetizers".

yummiest pineapple ever!
Marley was a very helpful taster of the food. Lucky dog.

steve went out to check on the meat on the barbie and came back in a few minutes later with this...
man is this guy for real!? he snuck out on me and went to the store to get that stupid little commodity i wanted. i couldn't believe it! but man was i a happy camper. the smell of good food cooking, yummy pineapple to eat, beautiful flowers, and a candle to decorate the house. not to mention, my favorite boys (again, steve and marley) in the world at home with me. YUM.
i relished in my amazement of my awesome, hot, husband for the rest of the night, and we had an amazingly YUMMY meal to boot.
i think i can get used to this married life thing pretty easily :) love you babe and thanks for being so stinking awesome!
and don't think we forgot about marley. he patiently waited his turn while we stuffed our faces with our meal.

but then it was his turn.

i think he was outside in the snow storm for about 30 minutes licking those bones and burying them. he was soaking wet when he came back inside, but i think he was just fine with that.

introducing the Mr.

2009-03-07T15:09:00.000-07:00

I know it's been awhile since i've posted anything. and believe it or not, it's not because of a lack of things to post about. i have been busy getting married!
steve and i were sealed in the san diego temple on february 28. it was such a perfect day for us and we couldn't have asked for more. we then spent a few days in las vegas, just relaxing and not having a care in the world. it was so sweet!
we are now back in salt lake, and moving into our new house and making it our home. i love this place and i'm so excited i get to live here with my new husband! i think that so far, living together is my favorite part of being married. it's just so perfect. YUM.
here are a few pictures of the wedding and vegas. we haven't gotten our professional pictures back yet, but these will tide you over until we get those back. who knows when that will be. enjoy!

at dinner the night before the wedding.
on our way to the temple
san diego temple from the freeway
our temple sealer robert daynes
married!
the mr. at our hotel pool in vegas
mr. and mrs. rawson!

a tour of newport...and a police chase?

2009-02-24T09:56:00.000-07:00

so last night, steve and i were driving around newport and i was giving him the 25 cent tour of where i grew up. i was in the middle of telling him what a quiet, peaceful, beach town this place is, when 2 cop cars bust out of a parking lot, lights and sirens on, hauling a#$ down the street, trying to pull over some black SUV. after about a mile of not pulling over, with the cops behind them, the car stops...at a red light! this car seriously was not pulling over or stopping for the now 4 cop cars behind him, but decided to stop at the red light. i loved it! his stopping at the light also gave steve and me time to catch up in our car. we were little police chasers for a bit, until some other cop car totally blocked traffic to keep us back from the action. loser.
even though we were back aways, we still got to see the action. a couple minutes later, the ghetto bird was in the air, with the spotlight on the car. at this point, steve and i are getting to the street we need to turn on to go home, and literally, right in front of the street light, the car stopped and the police apprehended the criminal. so we HAD to stop and watch while the police handled their business. we had a ten minute delay while the cops cleared the area, and we were on our way again.
it was such a random thing to happen in a place like this, where nothing ever happens. and for us to see it firsthand, was really kinda fun. here are a few pictures of the action.