Halloween

We are still getting use to this whole "Building Family Traditions" thing since we've been married. Halloween is really the first big holiday, other than Easter, that we've had as a married couple. With being pregnant, our activities are very unpredictable, and thus played a role in the things we did for Halloween. But we still had fun!

Sorry we don't have any pictures to share... we are horrible at documenting events by photo. But we did the following things:

1. 2 Halloween parties with old people at my internship- which is always full of surprises and fun!

2. Costume party with some EFY friends that included Halloween Bingo, games, and yummy caramel apples!

3. Decorating sugar cookies

4. Annual Halloween party with old roommates and their husbands

5. Rob dressed as a nerd and I dressed in a pregnant Halloween shirt. Next year we're going to do a family theme. Can't wait to be able to have a little baby to dress up!

All in all, we had a great holiday!

The Autumn Mood Swings

Being pregnant is a whole new life to me. Though I haven't been too sick, thank goodness, I have been having so many conflicting emotions and they change so rapidly! Fall is my absolute most favorite season of them all :) I love the changing colors of the leaves, being able to look at the colorful mountains every day, the occasional rainy days, wearing sweats after work, snuggling up in a blanket and reading a good book, the Autumn smells, cooking soups, making pumpkin chocolate chip anything... you get my point.

Unfortunately I feel like I can't fully enjoy my favorite time of year due to these emotional swings I've been having. On days it's rainy I wish it was sunny. On days it's sunny and warm I want it to rain! I never want to cook anything like those yummy soups and pumpkin treats, but when I do get the energy and desire to do it, I realize I'm missing one or two ingredients! I borrow a new book to read, but then I just feel like sitting in front of the T.V. The leaves start turning colors and it snows in the mountains covering half of them up. Complaint after complaint. This is no way to live! I'm going to ruin the best season of all :(

So on the upside, these are a few things that I have been able to enjoy so far regardless of mood swings, and other circumstances:

1. We got to go up the canyon and play games on Sunday and be surrounded by all the beautiful Fall colors

2. I have finished two books in under two weeks regardless of times of laziness and fatigue

3. Anytime I'm not feeling good, or I'm feeling like being a bum on the couch, I get to snuggle in that warm, fuzzy blanket I enjoy so much

4. I was given some cute decorations from Mom, and made some myself. We have a Halloween and Autumn decorated apartment to help keep me in the mood for Fall.

5. I have a wonderful husband who will make me a treat I want if I'm not in the mood to make it myself.

6. Halloween is coming up quickly, and I am getting a pregnant halloween shirt to wear :)

So it hasn't turned out horrible yet. I just wish I could push the pregnancy hormones aside and enjoy every single minute of Fall and Halloween that I usually do! On the other hand... I love being pregnant. I haven't felt movement inside me, or gotten fatter yet, but I am beginning to understand the love a Mother has for her child, even when they are giving her a headache and stomach ache ;) I love my little embryo! And I love Autumn time :)

I'm Gonna Be a Mommy!

I know there aren't very many people who read my blog, but I guess I do it as kind of another type of journal for myself and Rob... and our new family of 3! Yes, that's right... I'm gonna be a Mommy :) Am I ready? No. Did I expect it to happen soon, or even plan on it happening soon? No. Am I nervous beyond all reason? Yes. Am I thrilled and excited? Yes!!!

We went to our first official Doctor visit this week and I'm 8 1/2 weeks along. Just one more month and the morning sickness will be gone... or so I hope. We're due May 18, 2012. It seems like so far away, but I can't wait. I've had days of sickness, fear, excitement and when it all comes down to it I can't wait for that day to come.

So we're excited and getting use to the idea of it all :)

The Luckiest Girl Alive... and Do You Know Why?...

I'm the luckiest girl alive! Do you know why? I have the best Mom and sisters in the entire world- hands down. If you have sisters then I hope you know the kind of bond I'm talking about. It's indescribable, but it's the best bond a girl could ask for. If you don't have sisters, I hope you have great sister in-laws, or best friends who are like sisters. Well, I'm the youngest of 7. I have 4 incredible sisters, and a sister in law who is just another sister in my eyes. I am constantly amazed at their abilities and talents. They are all Moms and the definition of a super mom! Including my own Mom. As I prepare to be a Mom someday I hope to emulate even a little bit of what my Mom and sisters do. I hope to be just a small part of what they are!

And here are a few things that I look up to each of them for...

Mom: I can't say enough. I am fortunate enough to have grown up in a home where Mom was always around. She was always waiting for me when I got home from school. Being a homemaker and Mother is the greatest gift my Mom could have ever given me b/c she gave me her time and love. She is patient, compassionate, understanding, a great listener, gives great advice, selfless, creative, organized, spiritual, actively involved in her kids lives, sacrifices her time and talents, and has the Mother's touch. She was the one who could fix any hurt I was feeling and comfort me through any trial. I love her more than I can ever express!

Carrie: What an amazing woman! She always has a smile on her face and a positive attitude. She is always looking for fun things to do with her kids and loves spending time with them. She is the first person to care if one of her kids is sad or hurt. I've never met a more caring and sincere woman. I hope to have the same compassion for my kids that she shows for her own. And I hope to always have a smile on my face like she does :)

Kristen: She has always been a great example to me! She comes up with the most creative things to do with her kids even if it's just as simple as a reward system for doing things around the house. She knows how to take time out of her busy day and play with her children and enjoy them. She seems to always have things under control and it's so much fun to go visit her and see how she does it, even though I still don't know how she does! Her children come first and I have seen first hand the amount of time and effort she invests in her family. I hope to be able to remember that it's the small moments and spending quality time with your family that is important. She's always got family dinner ready and family mealtime is important. I hope to always be able to do the same with my family!

Laurel: Laurel is the perfect example of someone who sacrifices anything she can for her family. She is a busy person, but is always wanting the best for her kids. She makes an effort to take her kids fun places and make sure they're enjoying life. She laughs with them and enjoys the fun things they say and do. I can tell how much she loves her family by the way and how much she talks about them. I hope to be a fun Mom like Laurel and take my kids fun places. I hope to think of my kids first and foremost before my own needs like she does!

Erin: Erin is one of the funnest people I know, and that didn't change when she had kids. Two kids within less than a year apart? Most people would be so stressed, but she is a great example of someone who lives life to the fullest and has fun with her kids! We live far away from each other, but from stories, phone calls, visits, and pictures, I see how much she enjoys her kids! She dances with them, sings with them, takes time to sit down and play with them, and documents everything they do! I admire how she documents their growth and development. I hope to always be a fun mom and remember to be a little crazy at times!

Andria: Though she doesn't have kids yet, I know what kind of Mom she will be b/c of the kind of person she was. She was always the one I would go to when I was sad, lonely, wanted to play, or simply wanted to spend time with someone. She never got upset with me or turned me away. She invited me into everything and took me fun places. She loved everyone and did anything she could to make someone else a little happier. She was a positive and happy person who knew what it meant to be filled with charity. I can't wait to her cute family and her kids someday!

As you can see, my family is amazing! I can't wait to be a Mom, and I hope to be even just a little bit of what my Mom and sisters are. I love them with all my heart and look up to them in everything they do :)

Change

I've never been one to enjoy change. Change is hard for me. I enjoy the regularity of the same routine every day, the same job, the same people in my life, and the same old things. Most of the times I've been stressed throughout my life have been due to change. I had mono the first few months of my freshman year at BYU. Come to find out I had caught it b/c of the stress I was feeling from many different changes I had experienced in such a short amount of time.

Well, I'm going through a lot of change lately. A lot. I'm feeling nervous and excited all of the time. Some of the changes I'm making are:

1. Quit a WONDERFUL job to do an internship for graduation

2. Not having a job, and therefore, living off of only Rob's income

3. Grandpa Shaw died last week, and we're missing him

4. Saying goodbye to people I've grown to love b/c life goes on, and people go different ways

5. Getting ready to meet a lot of new people (mostly senior citizens) and hoping they like me

6. Rob has a lot of night classes, so we will have less time together each day

7. Still getting use to our nursery calling. Loving it, but each week brings new surprises

8. Looking forward to graduation and feeling lost on where I'll end up when it's all over

Though change is hard for me, I'm grateful for the things I learn through it all. Yes, sometimes I have to say goodbye to some people, but other people quickly come into my life, and I'm grateful for them. It's amazing how much change can refine and strengthen us. We learn more about who we are and what we are capable of. Though I dislike change, everything always turns out right.

Elder Marvin J. Ashton said,

"Yes, there is pain in change , but there is also great satisfaction in recognizing that progress is being achieved. Life is a series of hills and valleys and often the best growth comes in the valleys."

So here's to change, new experiences, and growth!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Erin!

I have the best sisters in the world! I'm just claiming that right now, and getting it out in the open. What's better than sisters? There is no one else like them, and no one else that can share the bond that sisters have. Well, my sisters are some of my very best friends, and today it's Erin's birthday! Because I love her so much, I thought I'd dedicate a post to her and say HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I love you! Some of the reasons I LOVE Erin are:

1. She is always there when I need to talk
2. We laugh about all of the same things
3. She has the very best plastic bag dance ever!
4. We play the meanest piano duets together
5. She always offers me the greatest advice
6. We can talk for hours on the phone as if we were standing together in person
7. She is an amazing example of what I want to be as a Mom
8. We have the best "I don't like your girlfriend" dance duet
9. I've always looked up to her in everything she does b/c she's "my big sister"
10. Even though she lives across the country, our relationship never changes!

I love you! And I hope you have a great birthday :)

Crafty Me!

I have officially finished one of my long time coming crafts/projects! And I am soooo stinkin' proud of my final creation. So proud in fact, that I can't resist sharing it with you. And you want to know how much the whole thing cost me? Only 2.00. Yes, that's right. Two bucks. I try to be resourceful and considerate with our very tight budget. But enough rambling. Here's what I did! And like the wonderful craft bloggers I follow, I'm going to follow in their footsteps and include pictures for you :)

Here is all of the supplies you'll need if you decide to make this ridiculously cute decoration: a square wood frame, unfinished. I got mine from Michael's for only a dollar! You'll also need some mod podge, cute scrapbook paper, paint to match your paper, ribbon, and a paint brush.
Oh... and did I mention that you'll need something to go in the frame? Well, my Mom just happened to have two patterns that I've been wanting to embroider. So I did two frames, and these are the finished embroidery pieces to go into the frames. The pattern for the embroidery is actually what inspired the rest of the project. You can't just embroider something and not have a cute frame of some sort to put it in for display!

So here is my favorite quote of all time:And another great one to go along side it:
Step 1: paint the edges of your wood frame(s) with your paint. Sorry about the picture... my flash was not cooperating.
Step 2: trace your wood frame onto the scrapbook paper, and cut it out.
Step 3: Using your mod podge, glue the cut out paper to the top side of your frame. I personally like to use mod podge over all other glues. I apply one coat of glue to the frame itself, press paper firmly onto the frame and smooth out any bubbles, then apply one more coat of mod podge to the top of the paper. This gives it a nice finishing look, and keeps the paper from some wear and tear. After the glue is dry, make sure you don't have any air bubbles.
Step 4: Place your picture, embroidery, or whatever is going inside your frame in it.

Step 5: Wrap ribbon around the frame, and tie a cute bow. (Once I buy a glue gun, I'm going to put a few drops of glue on the back side of the frame to hold the ribbon in place.
Step 6: Find somewhere to hang and adore your new creation! (I have yet to complete this step.)

I also still have to buy orange ribbon for the "Find Joy in the Journey" quote and frame. Then all will be complete! I'm overly joyed with the finished project, and proud of myself for creating my own craft. Typically I just follow someone else's steps and ideas, but this is created by yours truly! And other than the embroidery, the frame and assembly part of the project only took me a whole 30 min. :)

Stewart Falls

This weekend Rob and I finally fulfilled one of our summer bucket list items! We hiked Stewart Falls, which has been talked about by everyone we know living in the Provo/Orem area. I've been wanting to do it for two summers now, and we finally did it.

(This is the moment we spotted the falls for the first time.)

It was a beautiful hike, completely shaded 100% of the way, and not too difficult (if you're in shape at all, which I am not after having surgery). I got a fabulous work out because I haven't been hiking in a good year or two. To the average person it is a very doable and enjoyable hike. And once I got my second win, and had Rob pushing me from behind during the moment I thought I would just sit until someone came to carry me out, the hike continued to be wonderful. I was amazed at the falls themselves. It was gorgeous! And after a summer afternoon hike, the falls provided the best AC you could find. The mist from the falls hitting rocks was the perfect cool down.

All in all, we loved our hike and would recommend it to anyone. We saw multiple families with young children who seemed to be enjoying themselves. I will say that from the look of it though, I am NOT looking forward to carrying children on hikes. Rob will be fulfilling that parental duty :)If you haven't visited Stewart Falls, we highly recommend you do so!

4th of July

We had a great 4th of July weekend! And yes, since it's the 12th of July, this post is a little late. Three day weekends are what I live for these days. I went from being a full-time BYU student to married, and working full-time. What's wrong with this picture? Less free time, and time away from the hubby. Three day weekends are the little getaways that Rob and I long for! We have no plans, no work, no school, and we can do whatever in the world we want. Well, this three day weekend was perfect.

On Friday we went to the temple right after work. Going to the temple is one of my absolute favorite things to do! Especially when we can go together. After the temple Rob's little brother, Chris, slept over. We had already been planning to have a Nacho Libre themed night, so Chris joined in on the fun. We watched Nacho Libre and made some supreme nachos to eat during the movie! It was wonderful.

Saturday we slept in. The perfect start to a great day! After forcing ourselves out of bed, we made some waffles with fresh strawberries, syrup, and powdered sugar. MMMM :) Then the three of us made chocolate covered strawberries. But they were no ordinary strawberries, they were festive strawberries! I've seen lots of people do them this month, but I wanted to try them after seeing them on a blog I found. Here is our finished project!
Don't they look great! I think so, and they tasted great too. I was suppose to use blue sanding sugar for the blue end, but when I asked at the store, they had no idea what I was talking about. Therefore, we activated plan B- food color white chocolate to be blue. Then while Rob and Chris watched movies all morning I deep cleaned our apartment. And I loved it! I am my mother's daughter, which means I like a clean, organized, tidy house. And that is how we live. Luckily, Rob is a clean person :) After sweating up a storm from cleaning and the lack of AC, we spent the afternoon at the park, then headed over to Happy Hour at Sonic for some limeades!

Later the whole Draper Family came over and we played some games, and then headed over to set up camp in Ashlee's (Rob's sister) parking lot for the stadium of fire and BBQ. We were just outside the stadium and could hear the whole concert! It was wonderful. Brad Paisley :) One of my favorites! The firework show at the end was honestly the best one I think I've ever seen! (Aside from Disneyland, which is hard to beat.)

Sunday we spent the day alone together. Need I say more? It was pure bliss. Monday we headed up to Sandy to spend the official holiday with my family. It included family, Super 8, hamburgers, ice cream, games, and a firework show put on by the boys. It was perfect!

I hate three day weekends.... you want to know why? Because when they're over, it's off to another week full of work and responsibility. Yuck.

Stars, S'mores, and the Good Outdoors

Yes, you guessed it. We went camping this weekend! And boy did we have ourselves some fun! Last week we went up to SL to borrow a bunch of our parents' camping stuff, we went to the grocery store to load up on the essential camping food, and loaded all our stuff in the car ready to take off right after work. Much to our dismay, when we finally reached the campground after traffic delays and getting home later than expected, ALL of the spots were taken! Yes, TAKEN!! We were officially bummed out. As we made our way back down the canyon, we tried to have a conversation about what to do instead- both of us were too sad to actually imagine doing anything fun. So we decided to splurge and make ourselves happy. We each got our own foot long from Subway, rented and watched Little Giants from the library, and lounged around. It ended up being ok.
We decided to leave the car completely packed, and get work off an hour early the next Friday so we would be guaranteed a good camping experience. We did just that, and it was wonderful! We arrived at Diamond Campground up Spanish Fork Canyon and had our choice of whatever spot we wanted! We set up the tent and got out our love seat camping chair which was the best part of the night. Not having to sit far away, but being able to cuddle up by the fire under the stars. We played a few games, tossed a tennis ball around, watched some neighboring scouts, and finally decided to get the fire up to make some hot dogs!

I knew we had forgotten something... mustard and ketchup for the dogs! Such a disappointment. We had to turn the night back into a good one by making some DELICIOUS reese's s'mores!!! If you haven't tried it, you must. Replace the Hershey's bar of chocolate with a reese's peanut butter cup! To die for. We watched the fire die down, got ready for bed, and snuggled under the stars before actually heading to bed.
We woke up early and packed up to head home and actually be productive, but this little get-a-way was exactly what I needed right now. Absolutely perfect!

"One of Those Days" Cure

I have just realized that I am a blogger. I live and read blogs. I search people's blogs I don't even know, and they inspire me. I look forward to coming to work, finishing my assignments quickly and getting on to reading more blogs! Well, on my journey of blog reading today I found the next project I am going to complete.
I was introduced to a new blog called The Dating Divas. They are great! It's a blog of LDS Mom's who's slogan is, "Strengthening marriages one date at a time." Everything they write about is related to dates, little acts of service to do for your husband, or talking about their husbands. It's wonderful! It has helped me in my journey to become the ultimate wife!
Today their post is titled, "The Husband Survival Kit". I highly recommend reading it! Especially if you're looking for something CHEAP and EASY to do for your husband to show him you love him.

Read it here: http://www.thedatingdivas.com/you-me/show-him-the-love/the-husband-love-kit/

It is exactly what I needed today. Rob just started his very first day of school as a BYU cougar! We were so excited for him to have finally gotten accepted and start his career as an official BYU student. He's only taking two classes, but during Summer semester, the material is covered twice as fast. And he's taking one of the most time consuming classes offered at the school- Human Anatomy. Every student who has taken this class would agree that it is a lot of work and time consuming! Well, he was feeling very overwhelmed yesterday with the workload. So we're working hard to focus on school and put studying first. I took the class two semesters ago, so it's fun for me to help him study and remember all of the terms. Luckily it is something we can do together, but I'm so excited to give him this survival kit! I think he'll like it, and he needs a little motivator and pick-me-up to keep him going strong :) Thanks Dating Divas!

Come What May and Love It

So I finished a craft for our new apartment quite a while ago- about 4 months. I wanted to make one of those sayings on a board to hang on the wall crafts. You know those? That all the cute people have in their cute houses? Well, I wanted to join the group and be cute.
One of my absolute most favorite quotes is from Elder Wirthlin, "Come What May and Love It". This quote inspired the design of the plaque. With the help of my sister Erin, I was able to make this VERY affordable. She has a vinyl letter printer and was kind enough to print it for me and make sure it was in cute font. I bought the board from Roberts for only $4 by the time I used my weekly %40 off coupon that they graciously give all their customers. It's because of Robert's coupons that I can afford to do crafts :) It was painted and everything-required no work on my part other than swiping the credit card. Rob enjoyed helping me put the lettering on, and now it hangs beautifully in our little apartment that we call home. We are decorating our home one craft at a time.
Total Cost of Craft: $7.00

Mucha Do About Nothing

I'm at a loss of what to write about... and a loss of words. However, I always give people a hard time when they don't update their blog regularly, and in return was given a little nudge from a good friend. She kindly reminded me that it was time to blog. Get with it!
Well, I have many, many crafts that I am either in the middle of working on, or have accomplished and not blogged about! I shouldn't say such things! That goes against all craft blogging rules! To make something and not blog about it? It's unheard of. SO... for yours and my sake, here is a list of things I'm going to take pictures of TONIGHT so I can blog about them at work tomorrow. Cause heaven knows I don't stay busy at work and always look for things to do.

1. "Come What May & Love It" vinyl letter board
2. Our DECORATED apartment that we've been living in for 4 months
3. Father's Day cards

Something else that has consumed my life lately is my new obsession with recipes and cooking. I love finding a new recipe that looks delicious! I have found a few that look like they are to die for! Are you craving something sweet? Well... does this look appetizing?

Check out the recipe here: http://www.beckybakes.net/2011/01/20/oreo-stuffed-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Or does this make your mouth water and look delicious?Check out the recipe at:http://annies-eats.net/2009/11/06/chocolate-peanut-butter-cupcakes/

So... this is what I will be cooking next! And the wonderful thing is... I think I have all the ingredients without going shopping! Woo woo for being a wife! And a decent cook :)

Colorado Springs Trip

We finally got a vacation! We were needing it badly, and Mom and Dad were gracious enough to let us tag along with them on their trip to see Kristen's family in Colorado Springs. We were worried about bad weather, but fortunately for us, the only bad weather we experienced was the crazy wind they had goin' on. Other than that it was nice and warm! We did lots of fun things while we were there including:

Visited Garden of the Gods which greatly resembled Southern Utah National Parks. Gotta love the red rock beauty!
And took family pictures there...
We also...
Stood on top of one of the highest peaks in the world at over 14,000 ft.... PIKES PEAK...
Stood in 17 degree cold weather and wind...

Ate green jolly ranchers which caused green tongue on cute little girls...
Rode a cog to get to the top of the peak and seeing so many gorgeous views along the way...
Saw Minnehaha Falls on the way up (it's just a fun name, that's why we took a picture)
And of course took an official picture of the place and height to give proof we were there! We also...
Took a tour of the Olympic Training Center where we saw some Olympic athletes at work training for the next Olympics...
Hung out in the Olympic rings...
And imitated as many statues on the tour as we could.

We did some other fun things such as sleeping in as much as possible, reading books, watching movies, playing games, playing basketball, making s'mores, driving in the country, eating yummy homemade food, and just doing whatever in the world we wanted to do, when we wanted to do it. It was a great vacations and we officially love Colorado Springs :) Thanks Kristen for always being a great hostess and making sure we have fun when we visit!

3 Months

I don't know whether I'm in awe of how quickly the past three months has passed, or whether I feel like it's been so much longer? Tomorrow is Rob and my 3 month anniversary. I always thought it was pretty pathetic when people would celebrate every __th month anniversary during their first year of marriage, but now I am a part of the club. Thanks for accepting me!

So yes, the past three months have been amazing, disorganized, challenging, fun, and unlike any other three months of my life. Like every newly wed couple we are learning how to be married and how to combine both of our busy lives and schedules into one. What a challenge! But every day is a wonderful day and we are still as in love as could be.

I stumbled upon this quote from President Monson's Priesthood Session talk in this past General Conference and will never forget it. It is something I will always remind myself of:

"Choose your love, love your choice!"

I am so grateful to have found Rob and to be the girl he chose to marry. I'm grateful for the choice I was given to marry him, and I will forever and always love my choice!

Mmm Mmm Chocolate Cake

I've had so much fun since we've been married finding fun recipes to cook and bake. Now that I'm cooking for more than just myself I find quite a bit more motivation to actually do it and to do it well. One of the treats we made recently is called Chocolate Creme Cake from the Lion House Classics cookbook that I got for Christmas from my sister, Kristen, a few years ago.

It is to die for! Well, maybe not die, but it is delicious. If you're looking for a yummy treat and a fun baking activity, you should make this...

* WARNING: Hazardous for only two to consume. May gain weight if you don't share...


Because I think it is so good, I will share the recipe with you. There is a recipe for the cake, whipped cream, and chocolate frosting, but all three are extremely easy. Easy enough that Rob make the frosting all by himself while I tackled the whipped cream.

Cake: 1 package Devil's food cake mix

Follow package directions to prepare and bake the cake in two 9-inch round layers. Cool and split layers horizontally. (Only three of the four layers are used in this recipe.)
* Rob and I decided the more cake the better- so we used all four layers.
While the cake is baking, prepare chocolate frosting and stabilized whipping cream.

Chocolate Frosting:
4 tablespoons cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

In mixing bowl, mix cocoa and powdered sugar. Add softened butter, milk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Stabilized Whipping Cream:
1 envelope (1 TBLSP) unflavored gelatin
1/4 c. cold water
3 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

In small saucepan, combine gelatin with water; let stand until thick. Stir constantly over low heat until just dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly but do not allow to thicken. In large mixing bowl, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla until slightly thick. On low speed, gradually add gelatin, then beat on high until cream is thick.

Assembling Cake:
Place one layer of cake on serving plate. Spread evenly with half the whip cream, to within half an inch of edge of cake. Place another cake layer on top of cream; then another layer of cream. Alternate cake and cream for a total of five layers, ending with cake layer. Gently press down on top layer to set layers together. Frost entire cake with frosting. Garnish with chopped walnuts if you desire.
Doesn't it look so YUMMY!!! Well, if it doesn't look yummy, you're wrong, it was. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! But take my warning seriously... share the cake if you don't want an extra pound or two :)

Easter

One of the fun things about being married and starting a life together is developing our own traditions. Easter is the first major holiday that we have shared as a married couple, and it was a good one to start with!

Rob and I talked about traditions that our families had growing up. We also talked about things we liked about them that we wanted to keep in our family, and also things we wanted to add or change. During my childhood my parents never pretended to be the Easter Bunny, or give us Easter baskets. Instead we would go to Grandma and Grandpa's for the annual Easter egg hunt, and that was the extent of the Easter Bunny festivities. Instead, we would get a new Easter Sunday outfit. At first I was disappointed to see all of my friends get fun gifts and have to hunt for their basket, but as I got older I became grateful to my parents for putting more of the emphasis on Sunday and the Savior. Rob's family played the Easter Bunny role and they had to hunt for their baskets on Sunday morning.

As we talked we decided that it would be fun to do Easter baskets, but to do them on Saturday. Unfortunately, we didn't have time Saturday because of running around to family parties, so it happened Sunday- but in the future, Saturday it is. This will allow us to still have fun with the Eater Bunny, but allow Sunday to focus on the Savior and his resurrection.

It was fun to get stuff for each other! We set a limit of how much we could spend each, and then for FHE we went to target and wandered around giving each other some good ideas of things we'd enjoy.

I ended up getting a yoga mat and weights (The Jillian Michaels workout kit), and lots of yummy candy! I later went and bought the Jillian Michaels DVD that goes along with my kit, and I'm starting the workout tonight! It's called 30 Day Shred. Lets just say after two years of recovering from surgery that I hope I shred some of that weight in the next 30 days! I am an avid Biggest Loser watcher, and even though Jillian would make me cry if I were to work out with her in person, I've come to love her! Plus, I think I'll be able to keep composure if she stays in the T.V. Rob got the movie "Rudy", and a new frisbee, along with lots of candy!

Until we have our own family we will enjoy spending lots of time with our families in SL and joining in on their celebrations. It was a great first holiday for the both of us!

I'm a BYU Graduate

I'm graduated! Well, not technically, but I am officially done with all classes, test, and papers in college! It feels amazing. I still have to complete a 3 month internship to graduate, but that'll be the fun part I've been waiting for for 4 years :) I will of course have to visit the campus occasionally to take part in many wonderful BYU things such as the creamery, people watching, mint brownies, and other great things.

When we got home from all of the graduation festivities I received an extremely pleasant surprise... Rob had gotten me a BYU alumni license plate cover and a Y sticker to stick in my car window. One of the most fun parts about the surprise was all of the Y balloons scattered around the room. He's so sweet! I think he may have been more excited that I'm graduating than I am...

Another personal shot by the BYU sign.
Of course we had to take a picture by the notorious BYU sign. I'm leaving this wonderful place and Rob is entering. He's a lucky duck.
Many of the girls from my program- Recreation Therapy. I took all my classes with them and love them oh so very much. We have the best department in the university!
Kaitlin is a year ahead of me in school, but it was fun to be able to graduate with her and see her at graduation! Her and Jordan are off on an adventure of their own to Texas for the summer. We're going to miss them!
The people who paid for much of my education :) I have the best parents in the world!

Goodbye BYU, hello world. Am I ready to grow up? I'm fighting it for as long as I possibly can. It's beginning to be inevitable.

Summer Bucket List

Every single one of us has a list of things we can't wait to do during our summer break! Me, I'm like everyone else, and have a list of things I can't wait to do! These things include recreation activities, crafts, and more. Here's a little preview:
1. Ride tandom bikes with my hubby

2. Go to Seven Peaks as much as possible with our Pass of all Passes! Tan, here we come :) No more pasty white newlyweds.

3. Make this cute, cute, cute "Family Rules" craft- inspired by my sister, Erin.

(This picture isn't Erin's... Erin's is much cuter)

4. Check off quite a few of the Utah temples in our journey of doing temple work in all of the Utah temples by the end of December 2011. Some of the ones we'll visit this summer are St. George, Manti, Logan, Jordan River, and Oquirrh Mountain.

5. A trip to Moab to go on some amazing hikes!

6. Another fun craft that I don't know how to explain. Pretty much it's two small embroideries framed in homemade modge podge frames. The embroidery quotes are "Come What May and Love It", and "Joy in the Journey". Lets just say I'll post pictures, and they're going to be adorable!

7. Run a 5K. I've been unable to run for almost two years now due to injury, and I can't wait to get running again!

8. Make homemade bread and homemade jam! MMMMMMM...... need I say more?

9. Float the Provo River. 4 years at school in Provo and I STILL haven't done it!

10. Go to a farmer's market

I can't wait to make some amazing memories with my Hubby during our very first summer together :) What's on your bucket list for the summer?

What Do These Things Have in Common?

A visit to the Timpanogos Temple...

Ate some DELICIOUS strawberry frozen yogurt...

Watching "Tangled" with some friends...

Filling up an empty kitchen with yummy food by going grocery shopping for the month...

Cleaning an entire apartment from floor to ceiling which was WAY overdue...

And watching "The Amazing Race" on Sunday night...

What do all of these things have in common? These are all of the things we did this weekend! It is the very FIRST weekend since we've been married (2 months) that we have had no commitments with family and we could stay in Orem in our own little apartment and do whatever we wanted to do whenever we wanted to do it! It was spectacular!

Friday: We went to the Timp. Temple to do a session with Matt and Audrey and then went to Golden Spoon afterward for the best frozen yogurt! We're afraid we're going to keep them in business this summer by our purchases alone... yikes it's good!

Saturday: Slept in 'til 9, cleaned, cleaned, cleaned, visited with Mom & Dad for a little bit, went grocery shopping and filled our kitchen for the month, got some decorations and storage containers at BB&B, and topped it off with "Tangled" with Kaitlin & Jordan!

Sunday: Went to church, took a nap, made some dinner, enjoyed some brownies given to us by Aunt Mary and Uncle Kevin, watched "The Amazing Race", and layed around for the rest of the night!

It was the best weekend ever, and I needed it!

Rob's Birthday

On March 14, Rob had another birthday! The big 2-3. Wow he's getting old. We had fun celebrating it together- our first birthday to celebrate as a new family.

This boy got 4 birthday dinners, and 3 cakes! Holy Moly. I think he enjoyed all the attention. The weekend before his birthday we spent all of our time driving around going to dinner with family. Friday we went out with his parents to the Purple Turtle, a childhood favorite of his. If you haven't tried it, we highly recommend it! On Saturday we went to the Draper home and had Hawaiian haystacks with his family, ate cake, and opened presents. The next day, Sunday, we went to the Burrup residence for a joint bday dinner for Laurel and Rob. Funny enough, we had Hawaiian haystacks and cake! It was comical.

Finally on Monday it was time for our very own celebration. Rob stayed home all day while I went to school and work. I made him leave for a half hour when I got home for work so I could collect myself and get ready for the celebration. I bought Cafe Rio, Rob's favorite, and put it on plates to look like a homemade meal with candles to make a romantic candlelight Cafe Rio dinner. I also made a giant cupcake shaped cake! It turned out pretty good for a first try. He loved the meal, and was almost convince I made it! JK. For his present I got him a light up frisbee, tennis balls, and racquet ball balls. We're excited for the weather to be warm so we can play!

After dinner we went to Trafalga and mini-golfed. I won by 1! I should have let him win.. oh well. Then we splurged and rented Megamind! One of our new favorite movies! If you haven't seen it, you can borrow it from us :) We bought it with some of our wedding money! All in all we had fun celebrating his birthday together, and I love my 23 year old man!

The Little Things

The blog is almost finished! I decided to keep the title of the blog as "The Little Things," and I'm going to tell you why.
For our honeymoon we went to California. Our main purpose for going there was to visit Disneyland. Both of our families helped us out immensely in making our trip possible. Thanks to Kristen and Derek who payed for our hotel & Disneyland/California Adventure Tickets, Rob's parents for giving us money to spend on food and fun things, and Mom and Dad for lending us their car and paying for our gas. We are full of gratitude for the sacrifices that were made in order for us to enjoy the best honeymoon!
Rob's Dad gave us money on one condition: we find a souvenir while on our trip that we can display in our home, which will always remind us of our honeymoon and getting married. We succeeded. We found a figurine of the old Mickey and Minnie titled "Real Sweetheart".
Why did I want this to represent our honeymoon? And why is this specific souvenir the item to represent the title of our blog? When I saw this in the store, and read the title, I wanted it to represent our marriage and relationship together.It's the little things that make life the most meaningful and happy. It's also the little things that really matter in having a successful relationship, and more importantly, showing our love for each other. This is a reminder for us to do little things for each other, and together. These include:

1. Holding hands during our nightly prayers together
2. Reading conference talks and studying scriptures together
3. Holding hands in the store
4. Making the bed
5. Doing a household chore without being asked
6. Continuing to go on dates
7. Writing notes to each other
8. Laying in bed at night talking
9. Genuinely Listening to each other
10. Saying "I Love You"

I could go on and on with a list of things that we do for each other, but the point being: this figurine is a reminder to us to continue to show our love and care for each other every single day through the little things :)