counting down the hours

My dear friend, Airwoman ShayLee is in town! Last week, we had such a great time. We had a party, went to the Cheesecake Factory with our moms, and went to breakfast at 6 in the morning. She left for a few days to visit her sister, Airwoman Lyndi in Missouri, but she came home yesterday! :)

This weekend is going to be amazing! Kristie is coming in town for the big girls night and sleepover! I am so excited to have almost all of the girls together! Sister Penny actually returns home from her mission today but, it might be too soon. :)

Have a very happy weekend! I know I will.

in just about one month..

..this lovely will be home! I can't really believe that is true but, I am beyond excited to see her. Sister Whitney has been serving a LDS mission in England, that lucky soul.. Some things I would like to do with her when she returns:

-listen to her stories and look through her pictures
-drive around singing Sara Bareilles and Taylor Swift.
-going to Taco Bell
-a girls trip to Manti
-hiking

I definitely can't wait!

You can learn more about missions here.

one of the best things in life..

..is napping in your tent while it rains. I love camping and can't wait to go as soon as it warms up! :)

Spring Fever

I may be overly excited about the semi nice weather we've been getting but, I am very much in the mood for Spring. :) I am having a Spring Special on my photography blog! Check it out and please spread the word!

Two.

On the 7th, Jared and I celebrated our 2nd Anniversary and it was a perfect day. I was planning on making a delicious breakfast for Jared but, slept in until 8:00. We layered our clothes (6 shirts, 3 pants), got all of our snowboard gear ready, had a romantic breakfast from the McDonalds drive-through (egg bagel for him, McMuffin for me), and headed up the canyon.

I claimed to be a snowboarding pro when trying to get Jared to look my way and ask me out.. (it worked) But now, I can't help but feel so nervous every time we go! My confidence is no more. Maybe it's because I don't go up weekly like I use to with my friend, Chelsie... Maybe it's because I'm just not that good! But at the end of the day, I was pretty proud of my S-curves, little (tiny) jumps and not falling more than 3 times! :) It was such a great day snowboarding.

 I am so grateful I was able to spend the day with my sweetheart. I can't believe we're in our 3rd year of marriage!! It has been a fun adventure and we have definitely learned and have grown a lot. I can't wait to see what the future holds for year 3. Happy Anniversary, Mr!

My Valentine

February is always an eventful  month for us. My birthday, our anniversary, and Valentine's Day are all a week apart, for 3 weeks in a row. Our anniversary was perfect. I have iphone pictures to share but, I still need to get them from Jared's iphone! :) (coming soon)

Our Valentine's dinner was Pizza Hut that Jared had brought home, along with groceries.  After dinner, I gave him his Valentine's gift that I have been working on for a year. It was a big hit and I am so glad it's finally finished! :) Jared had surprised me a few days earlier with my favorite perfume, Pink! After pizza, we went to see a romantic comedy that made us laugh.. a lot.

It was a great night and I am so happy I have this guy as my Valentine..

daydream believer

I recently received a card from my aunt Joleen, who lives in (my beloved) Oregon. She says the weather right now is wonderful, just like it was the February I came out 7 or 8 years ago. I went alone to spend time with my Grandma and Joleen. We stayed in a room with the view of the beach right out of our window. We had crab cocktails and fudge and went sight seeing everyday.

The Oregon cravings are starting and I am daydreaming about June.. My cousin, Austin will be home from his mission and the whole family will be together in my favorite place.. :) Here are some pictures of Jared and I swinging on the beach last year:

A tribute to Luke, the dog.

When I was 10, I talked my mom into the idea of having a puppy. We bought a book called The Dog Book which explained the pros and cons of each different bread of dog. We hadn't yet convinced my Dad that a dog would be a good addition to our home but, we kept our eye on the ads in the newspaper anyway.

One day we came across an ad for $100 collie puppies and we went to take a look. The puppies were so excited. There was one happy puppy who was so hyper and excited to see us.. really adorable. I was drawn to him and thought he was the one to take home with us. Then I saw a sweet, shy puppy who was back behind the commotion. He was timid and his face.. the only word that describes it perfectly is.. sweet. I picked him up and knew he was the one for us. The woman told me they named him Luke but, that I could change it. I thought it fit him perfectly. So, I threw in a middle name and he was officially, Luke Lee. (I was 10, remember.)

He was a very playful puppy who also loved to cuddle. He slept in my bed and was such a sweetheart. He loved babies and kids and loved to play catch. Some of my favorite memories are sitting on the back porch with my mom, looking at the stars, and playing catch with Luke. He is terrified of just about anything, loves cheese, and loves it when dad comes home from work. The biggest surprise about bringing Luke into our family was the connection he and my dad had made. My dad, who is definitely not a dog person, loves Luke.



Today is Luke's last day with us. I can only imagine the goodbye between my dad and Luke, this morning. I'm sure it was a very tender moment with many treats for our puppy. I was able to say my goodbyes to him last night and since then, have been reflecting on all of the good times we have had with him. Thanks for 13 years, Luke. I'll miss you, puppy!

Buhlers, brownies, and babies

-having our friends, the Buhlers over for dinner
-sloppy joes and yummy potatoes
-making brownies with Little O
-snuggling with the twins
-Monsters Inc. & Chicken Run

the love month

(flowers from Jared on our first anniversary)

Of all the months I dreamed of my wedding, I wouldn't have guessed February. (May, June.. October, yes please!) But, that October date was looking too soon for my liking and I was determined to take my sweet time. Thus, the month of love is the month we got married and I am so excited it is here! I am counting down the days until our 2nd anniversary!

My goal for February: take pictures!

I believe the only picture I took in January was of one sunset. January always does that too me.. February will be a month of pictures, I'm determined! I get so antsy when I'm not creative and not documenting our life.

Some other things to look forward to this month:

-P & P's baby blessing

-Valentine's Day

-spending time with old friends
-a visit from Airwoman Shay and Kristie

-Sister Penny comes home from her mission!

Happy February!