Friday, December 30, 2011

Favorite Images of 2011

This is a post that continues with the previous one. These are just some of my favorite pictures from 2011. (a lot of them will be from our wedding.) Also, sorry this post is so long.



















2011 In Review

Oh hey. So this year is coming to an end, and I thought I would talk about what we've done this year. (they aren't really in order.)

- We got married :) February 4, 2011
 -I went through the temple for the first time.
-Along with getting married, I gained a permanent roommate, and a new family.
- I finished my last semester at the Business College (I still have one more class, i'm taking it now and its online)
- I quit working at Aeropostale 
- I made new friends.
- We went on our honeymoon to Cali, which was also OUR first real vacation together (goes hand in hand with getting married, but it was a really fun vacation)
- Turned 20 (not a huge feat, but whatever)
- Started teaching Primary in church
- Found out what I truly want to do with my life (See this post)
- I grew up and matured a lot. I guess being married will do that to you.
- I started going to SLCC and working my way to the U.
- I took my first Education course, and I loved it.
-Chauncey got an internship and finished his first senior year semester.
- My dad got married, and I gained a Step Mom (She's really nice so its cool)



There is a lot more that we've done and accomplished, but these are the ones that stand out the most. This year was a great one, and i hope next year is even better.













Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Christmas

Oh hey. Sorry it's been so long, we had a very busy week. We left last Tuesday to go to Vegas and stayed with my parents until Friday morning, then went and hung out with Chauncey's family. I really enjoyed spending time with my family, we baked (a lot), played games and just hung out. On Friday we saw Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol with Chauncey's family. It was pretty good, but I didn't like the ending. Friday night we went back to my family's house and opened presents with my Aunt, Uncle and Grandma. It was really nice to see them. We then went back to Chauncey's parents house and stayed the rest of the weekend there. It was really nice to spend time with them, we played croquet, rock band and just spent time together. We had a lot of fun, and it was a nice little vacation for us. It was so great to spend time with our families and see everyone.
We are now back in SLC (got back Monday), and our vacation is over. Chauncey and I don't start school for another week or so, but he has work and I need to find a job. I applied at two places today, (A Sushi restaurant by our house and Red Robin.) I have an interview on Friday for Red Robin, and the other place said they would get back to me. So Friday I'll go and apply at more places after my interview, and hopefully i'll find something. Wish me luck!
Anyways, I hope everyone had a great Christmas! we certainly did :)



Thursday, December 22, 2011

Awkward and Awesome Thursdays

This picture. Awkward.

Awkward
- Not being able to think of things to write for the "awkward" section.
- The looks that I get for riding in the shopping cart at target.
-Almost getting in "cart accidents" with people at the store because they are all rushing to get to the open cash register before anyone else.
- Seeing someone you know at the store, but you don't want to talk to them, so you try everything you can to be sure they don't notice you.
-Having said person ^ notice you and have a very awkward conversation.

Awesome:
-Wrapping presents, i don't know why i like it so much, i just do.
-Christmas baking. Yum yum (downside: the pound or two i've put on because of all the delicious desserts.)
-Being able to spend time with Chauncey, even though finals are over i feel like I never see him.
- Having all of our Christmas shopping finished. It feels so nice.
-Christmas being only like 3 days away. I can't wait.

Anyways, Merry Christmas everyone! <3





Wednesday, December 21, 2011

What I Love Wednesday

These are a few of the things I'm loving right now:

1. My puppy. He's always so happy to see me when we come to Vegas. I love playing with him, he's so fun.
2. Baking. I love to bake!
3. Playing Wii with my Brother and Hubby.
4. The Christmas Season in general, it's such a fun time of year.
5. Holiday decorations. Those are fun.
That's my puppy, Smokey.

Monday, December 19, 2011

A Season Of Giving

So this weekend Chauncey and I did some more Christmas shopping. It was crazy, there were so many people at the mall. We ended up buying most of the stuff we needed from Target, and it wasn't as bad there. After we were done, our total came up to about $120 dollars. As Chauncey was getting ready to pay some man came up and waved a coupon in the cashiers face, at first Chauncey and i were like, dude can't you go bother another cashier? We're kinda in the middle of paying. (don't worry we only thought that, we didn't actually say it.) But then we realized that he was giving us a coupon, and it was for 10 dollars off 100 or more. So it knocked our total down by ten bucks! (To some that may not mean a lot, but to us that's useful money towards groceries or something else we might need.) So we were pretty grateful and were able to thank him as he was walking out the door.

That kind gesture just reminded me how Christmas isn't just about receiving gifts (though that is pretty exciting!) It's about giving, not just gifts, but giving happiness to others. Christ wouldn't want us to be selfish or unhappy during this season (or any other time). We should follow his example and be more like him. We can all do something for someone else, even if it's small like giving a coupon that will knock off a few bucks off their total. So if you haven't already, try to do something kind for someone else this week. It doesn't have to be big, or take a lot of time, but I can assure you that you will be happier because of it, and you will be sharing happiness to others.


P.S. Guess what? We have a different calling! The primary president is moving us from Senior Primary to....Sunbeams!! Those are the little kids that are just coming out of nursery! We are so excited :)

Saturday, December 17, 2011

My "sexy voice"

Yes, according to Chauncey I now have a "sexy voice". Lately I've had this awful cough and a bunch of congestion. Because of coughing and all the yuckiness going on, I've had a raspy voice that is on and off depending on how bad my cough is. I hate it. So yeah, just thought I would share that with you guys.

Also, last night we went to Sushi to celebrate Chauncey being done with school. (it would've been better if he was ACTUALLY done, he is doing an extra credit lab today with a friend...So yeah, almost done.) We went with his study buddies and their wives, it was a really fun quadruple date. I've said this in a previous post, we don't go out with other couples very often, so this was really good for us. And I got sushi twice in one month! That never happens. This sushi place wasn't as good as others though. It's called Simply Sushi, they have all you can eat sushi and pretty cheap prices, which is nice...but I've had better. Their ginger was tasteless, it did not clean my pallet at all, and their wusabi was weak. But I won't complain anymore because over all it wasn't bad. I even surprised his friends at how much I ate (Gareth, one of Chauncey's study buddies joked that I was only half a person, so I wouldn't eat that much.)

Anyways, I should go, I have lots to do while Chauncey is gone, and I have to get ready so we can go Christmas shopping as soon as Chauncey comes home. Wish us luck! (Shopping a week before Christmas on a Saturday is kinda scary, there are some pretty crazy people out there.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Oh My!



Did you guys know that Christmas is in 9 days??? And we haven't even finished our Christmas shopping. Goodness. At least now that finals are over we can focus on that, as well as other things. I am so excited to go to Vegas on Tuesday and spend time with our families. It will be a nice vacation for us, especially Chauncey, I know school has been stressing him out lately. Anyways, don't you just love the holidays? It's so nice to spend time with family...Oh and I love love love winter clothes. I don't think i've ever expressed that to anyone, but winter clothes are my favorite. I love jackets, decorative tights to wear with dresses, fun scarves (especially my awesome Gryffindor scarf, love that thing)!

Also, last night Chauncey and I went to go see Three Musketeers in the dollar theater. I wouldn't recommend it if you haven't already seen it. It was awful. The acting wasn't bad, but the writing was just sooooooo stupid. Chauncey and I laughed the whole time, and not in a good way. Afterwards we joked that it wasn't even dollar movie worthy, it was rental worthy, FREE rental worthy, if that. So yeah, if you haven't seen it yet, don't waste your money on it. Just sayin'.

Okay, time for me to go, I must clean the house before it gets any worse.



Thursday, December 15, 2011

Awkward and Awesome Thursdays

So I'm going to try something new for Thursdays (well, the Thursdays where I have something to share.) Some of my favorite blogs (The Daybook, Mr. Taylor and His Lady) have done Awkward and Awesome Thursdays. I think its a great idea and its really entertaining. So I'm going to try it.


This picture. Awkward.
Awkward: 
-still watching cartoons at age 20. I just can't give up those 90s cartoons. What can I say, I'm a 90's kid. I'm sure many of you feel the same. (If not, don't tell me, just let me believe that so I can feel better about my life.)
-Getting a Christmas present from/for someone and they didn't get one for you. (Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I'll just run to the mall home and get you your gift.)
-Having your best friend *cough cough...Megan.* be baby happy for you. (which actually makes me more baby happy, no worries though, there isn't a little one on the way yet.)
-Being terribly afraid of spiders..so because of that i haven't done our towels yet (no worries, we still have clean towels) Last time I washed towels I found like five spiders in the basket (we live in the basement, and it really hadn't been that long since i washed towels) And ever since I've been too scared to wash towels. So yeah, we now have a huge pile of towels in the bathroom, probably infested with spiders, just waiting to scare me. -___-
- spending hours of my day playing Sims social on face book. I have no life.
-The song "obsessed" by Miley Cyrus.... http://youtu.be/UlXgjI9tGz0 just check it out. 


Awesome!
-Finding some really great gifts for Hubby on ebay, with free shipping. Sweeeet!
- Hubby pushing the snooze button a few times so we can cuddle. (also because he hasn't gotten a ton of sleep lately with finals, but i like to believe it's just because he likes to cuddle with his wife.)
-Walking into the classroom I volunteer in and hearing all the kids excitedly yell my name :) it makes me feel so wanted and loved :)
- Finding out that we get to have Christmas with my awesome cousins :) Can't wait to see them! (Minus Zach, he's in Chile serving a mission, we will all miss him <3)
- Skype. Best thing ever invented.
- Having today be the last day of finals for Chauncey. Yay for finally spending time with the Hubby!
-Having the kids in class actually  understand what I'm teaching them, such a nice feeling.





Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Reasons Why....

My hubby is the most wonderful hubby ever.

1. He loves me, even when I'm at my worst.
2. He's my best friend, and he's always finding ways to help me or make me smile.
3. He's so darn creative (Hello, he made a Thor hammer in welding.)
4. He respects me. (I've been with losers who don't, and its so nice that Chauncey does.)
5. He has a great sense of humor!
6. He has a strong testimony and loves the gospel.
7. He's such a good example in pretty much everything he does. (School, work, church. He's so amazing.)
8. He is awesome with children, so I know he'll be a great father.
9. He's so good looking!! (okay, this one is kinda shallow, but good looking men are always a plus ;))
10. Two words: green eyes.
11. He always finds ways to make me smile when i'm sad.
12. We have similar interests.
13. He introduces me to new things.
14. He's so supportive!
15. He's just a good guy, there's no doubt about that.


I was just thinking last night how grateful i am for Chauncey and all he does for me. I thank Heavenly Father for him daily, and I'm so excited to spend eternity with him.

Sorry for getting all mushy back there, I just had to say all of that. Anyways, i hope everyone is having an Wonderful Wednesday (even though it's almost over.)


P.S. Last week during volunteering I was helping these three kids with vocabulary and spelling. I was really getting frustrated because i felt like they weren't quite understanding. Anyways, I left feeling really sad about it. The next week Whitney (the teacher i volunteer for) emailed me and thanked me because those boys that I worked with all got higher scores on their vocab test for that week. It made me feel really good :) I can't wait to be a teacher.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Stepping Out Of My Comfort Zone

So as I was planning out my schedule a few weeks ago, I realized I only had 11 credits. That wouldn't work with financial aid, so I started looking for another FUN class that I could take. Unfortunately SLCC didn't offer what I wanted to take (ceramics, I took it in high school and loved it! but they only offered that in fall semester. Lame.) Anyways, I kept looking....and looking....and looking. Until finally i found the exercise classes! they are each one credit, which was perfect. I tried getting into yoga (i love yoga. so relaxing) but of course those were all full, along with pilates. I really didn't want to take jogging (i don't like running, ever.) And some of the others just sounded weird. I was reaching the end of the list, and I was also starting to lose hope for finding a fun class to take. That's when I saw it, this class definitely caught my eye. So I signed up for it (just to save my spot until i found something else that interested me more). After talking to Chauncey, I decided it would be fun to just take the class. It's so different and maybe it'll make me a better dancer (also fix my shyness about dancing). Okay I bet you all are wondering what it is (only my family and Megan know that I'm taking it)...Anyways, drum roll please....................belly dancing. That's what the class is. Interesting, right? Time to step out of my comfort zone and try something different. So wish me luck in this endeavor, its so different than anything i've done before, but i'm excited! I'm sure you guys will hear more about it when I start taking it.




Friday, December 9, 2011

Gingerbread Houses and Christmas Cheer

So last night was the first night this week that I was actually able to spend time with my Hubby. He's so busy with school and work lately that I really haven't seen him. So last night he came home in time to watch our Thursday night shows (i don't know if you guys are NBC fans like us, but can you believe that Whitney is staying while Community gets benched?? What's up with that?! I'm semi-happy about 30 rock coming back, but i think they should've kept Community. The only reason it wasn't getting a ton of viewers was because it was competing with Big Bang, they just needed to get rid of Whitney and change the time. Okay, enough of my angry ranting about NBC's poor choices.) Anyways...Last weekend we bought a gingerbread house, we were going to make it for FHE but things came up and last night was the first night Chauncey was home before midnight. So we had dinner together, watched our shows and spent some much needed quality time. We listened to Mo-tab Christmas music and made our ginger bread house!

Our gingerbread house includes an evil snowman, a cute gingerbread man with a sideways mohawk, and a Christmas tree. So yeah, that was fun :) Here are some pictures!

Hopefully you can tell that the evil snowman is the one with the red eyes.



Monday, December 5, 2011

Oh Ralph.


Meet Ralph, he is our very first Christmas tree! Yes we named our Christmas tree, don't judge. Anyways, Isn't he beautiful! After thanksgiving we went with Chauncey's family to cut down their tree, and we decided we wanted one as well! we couldn't get a tall tree for multiple reasons (our car is very small, and we live in a basement, so our ceilings aren't super high) but I think we were both just fine with this little guy.








I'm so excited to spend Christmas with my hubby and our families. I am so blessed <3