UMMM....YA...We're gonna make cute babies! Just look at us:)
Steve!
Before I possibly neglect this blog (unintentionally) this week I wanted to express my gratitude for the man in my life who is my life...STEVE! I love him so much! I am so grateful he is my husband:) I learn something new about him everyday and although I am finding out how different we are, it works:) I always have fun with him and love the fact he keeps me relaxed and calm (or at least tries to) when I stress out about things that I don't necessarily need to. When we first got married Steve told me I needed to get more hobbies because I just wanted to be with him all the time! Although he was right, it just goes to show how much I adore him and enjoy being around him, and after 3 1/2 years I still feel this way:) Being married to Steve I have learned alot and one thing I know for sure, I'm in it for the long haul and I'm excited to raise a family with this man:)
UMMM....YA...We're gonna make cute babies! Just look at us:)
UMMM....YA...We're gonna make cute babies! Just look at us:)
Friends
Thankful for friends who are there for me no matter how far away they live!! I have been blessed with such wonderful friends who I have had the opportunity to both learn and grow with and from! Some of my friends I literally consider family:) I have so many amazing, fun, hilarious, unforgettable, ridiculous, unbelievable, crazy memories that involve my friends and I will cherish the memories forever!(and some I will take to my grave) Sometimes it hurts my heart to think about the fact that I can't see some of my friends whenever I want but that's when the memories come in handy:) LOVE YOU FRIENDS! YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE:)
Transportation
I am so grateful that I have a car! For my first few years while I was in college I relied mostly on using the bus system, walking, or longboarding to get where I needed to go! I am thankful for that experience because it makes me appreciate my car that much more and the privilege I have to be able to get up and go somewhere anytime I want:) My car was my first major purchase and I am one year away from having it paid off...can't wait!! It is has been a good, reliable car for me! I am thankful that I can drive my 1.5 hour commute to work and back without having to worry about having car troubles! (knock on wood!) I also have a great appreciation for those people who don't have cars and rely on public transportation daily, it takes patience!
Jim and Peg!
I am Thankful for my wonderful parents who did a fabulous job raising 6 kids. I honestly don't know how they did it and can't imagine trying to be responsible for that many children:) My parents taught me so much by things they told me but more importantly through their actions! They are still great examples to me and I hope one day I can be as good of a parent as they were to me!
Siblings
I am grateful for my sisters and brother! I would be lying if I said that we were the perfect family but I know that we all work hard to be there for each other and celebrate each other's successes! My siblings have been a huge support to me and I am thankful that I grew up with the siblings I have. I have some fond memories of my childhood and things I got to do with brother and sisters. I learned many things from interactions with my siblings and each of them taught different things. I admire things in all of them.
I admire Mel's willingness and want to care for others and share her love! Mel has always looked after me and made sure I was taken care of! Not sure what I did to deserve it but I appreciate it:) I remember when I was younger she should would always take me and my friends places and when I was old enough she would let me drive her car (that was a big deal back then!) Mel is a very thoughtful person and has nurturing side to her that will make her a wonderful mom someday!
I admire Andrea's ability to take on a million things and somehow make it all work! Perseverence:) Andrea does everything she can to make her kids life the best she can! There are no limits for her:) I wish I had the organization and energy she has to make everything happen! Oh and she and Court make the cutest kids:) When we were younger Andrea and I did cross country together for a summer and I enjoyed the early morning runs we did together! We still try to train for races together and I absolutely love running with her!
I admire Jeff's athletic ability and determination! Poor Jeff growing up with 5 sisters...luckily he turned out somewhat normal! I wish had this guy's athleticism:) When I first moved to BYU Jeff took me under his wing and made sure I was taken care of! I remember it being the greatest thing on earth when he would let me and my roommates borrow his car to go grocery shopping! He would also invite us over all the time and make us dinner:)
I admire Jamilyn's honesty and assertiveness! She will tell you how it is and not sugar coat it! Sometimes I wish I could do this:) Jamilyn is amazing at her job, I'm not sure what she does but I know it is with computers and she is a hard worker!! She has adorable kids too!! When I was in college I loved getting to take trips to California and spend time with Jamilyn:)
I admire Val's selflessness and ability to care for others so easily! Val and I shared a room, friends, activites, etc. almost our whole childhood which means we loved and hated each other at the same time sometimes! Now it's all about love:) She is a fun person to be around!
I admire Mel's willingness and want to care for others and share her love! Mel has always looked after me and made sure I was taken care of! Not sure what I did to deserve it but I appreciate it:) I remember when I was younger she should would always take me and my friends places and when I was old enough she would let me drive her car (that was a big deal back then!) Mel is a very thoughtful person and has nurturing side to her that will make her a wonderful mom someday!
I admire Andrea's ability to take on a million things and somehow make it all work! Perseverence:) Andrea does everything she can to make her kids life the best she can! There are no limits for her:) I wish I had the organization and energy she has to make everything happen! Oh and she and Court make the cutest kids:) When we were younger Andrea and I did cross country together for a summer and I enjoyed the early morning runs we did together! We still try to train for races together and I absolutely love running with her!
I admire Jeff's athletic ability and determination! Poor Jeff growing up with 5 sisters...luckily he turned out somewhat normal! I wish had this guy's athleticism:) When I first moved to BYU Jeff took me under his wing and made sure I was taken care of! I remember it being the greatest thing on earth when he would let me and my roommates borrow his car to go grocery shopping! He would also invite us over all the time and make us dinner:)
I admire Jamilyn's honesty and assertiveness! She will tell you how it is and not sugar coat it! Sometimes I wish I could do this:) Jamilyn is amazing at her job, I'm not sure what she does but I know it is with computers and she is a hard worker!! She has adorable kids too!! When I was in college I loved getting to take trips to California and spend time with Jamilyn:)
I admire Val's selflessness and ability to care for others so easily! Val and I shared a room, friends, activites, etc. almost our whole childhood which means we loved and hated each other at the same time sometimes! Now it's all about love:) She is a fun person to be around!
Exercise!
Today I am grateful for exercise;) Steve and I got passes to the rec center a few months ago and it has been wonderful! We are able to go play racquetball together and tonight we hit up the track! I'm glad that we have one more thing to do together during the week. This pass has also allowed me to go to some Zumba classes and do other workouts with some friends from the ward, which has given me some much needed girl time! I am so thankful that my body is healthy enough that I am able to exercise. And of course one of the biggest benefits for me and exercise is that it does so much for my mental health! I always feel better about myself and the world when I exercise:) So I will continue to exercise for as long as my body will let me!!!
Gratitude!
Well I have been seeing several friends and family posting on their blogs and facebook comments about what they are grateful for (a.ka.gratitude challenge). I know I'm a little late in the game but better late than never...right?! We honestly have so much to be grateful for that I could post something everyday of my life if I really thought about all the blessings we receive! However we know I'm not that awesome with this blog so I will make a goal to share some of things I am grateful for each day for the next week and a half:) Please note that these will be in no particular order...
Day 1- Grateful I get to Work!
Now let me explain. Recently I have been thinking about how lucky I have been when it comes to the employment department. I got hired on at my internship a few months ago despite the fact that the company was under a hiring freeze. I love my job and have learned so much over the last year and continue to learn new things everyday. I wish I could work there full time but that is not an option right now. So a few weeks ago I began a search for a job to have on top of what I'm doing. It didn't take long before I got offered a full time job as a therapist at a teenage residential treatment center called Discovery Ranch. Unfortunately I wasn't looking for full time and didn't want to consider quitting my current job for various reasons. I was having a hard time trying to decide what would be best for our family.. So to make a really long story short, Discovery Ranch actually called me the day after offering me the position and told me that they would actually like to have me part time! So I didn't have to choose between the two jobs, I get to do both! I don't really understand what I've done to be so blessed and have things work out...but I'll take it! These recent happenings with work have blessed Steve and I in several ways. I am now getting paid more since I passed my licensing exam. We are now more financially stable and will hopefully be able to build our savings and pay off some loans (which I'm obsessed with getting taken care of). I may be able to afford health insurance (something I haven't had for over a year!) I feel better now that I am busier and not home as much..sounds weird, but it's true! The list goes on! The point is I am grateful to have two jobs that I love and enjoy! The work is hard but fulfilling and I feel blessed to serve and work alongside those I do:) End of story.
Day 1- Grateful I get to Work!
Now let me explain. Recently I have been thinking about how lucky I have been when it comes to the employment department. I got hired on at my internship a few months ago despite the fact that the company was under a hiring freeze. I love my job and have learned so much over the last year and continue to learn new things everyday. I wish I could work there full time but that is not an option right now. So a few weeks ago I began a search for a job to have on top of what I'm doing. It didn't take long before I got offered a full time job as a therapist at a teenage residential treatment center called Discovery Ranch. Unfortunately I wasn't looking for full time and didn't want to consider quitting my current job for various reasons. I was having a hard time trying to decide what would be best for our family.. So to make a really long story short, Discovery Ranch actually called me the day after offering me the position and told me that they would actually like to have me part time! So I didn't have to choose between the two jobs, I get to do both! I don't really understand what I've done to be so blessed and have things work out...but I'll take it! These recent happenings with work have blessed Steve and I in several ways. I am now getting paid more since I passed my licensing exam. We are now more financially stable and will hopefully be able to build our savings and pay off some loans (which I'm obsessed with getting taken care of). I may be able to afford health insurance (something I haven't had for over a year!) I feel better now that I am busier and not home as much..sounds weird, but it's true! The list goes on! The point is I am grateful to have two jobs that I love and enjoy! The work is hard but fulfilling and I feel blessed to serve and work alongside those I do:) End of story.
Shout out to my Ladies!!
I am so grateful to have such awesome friends in my life! Unfortunately most of them don't live close to me, I miss them and sometimes find it hard to want to try and make new friends. Mainly because I know it's hard to come by people who are as awesome as the friends I already have and most likely they won't compare...but I am trying..:) Maybe I'm just too picky...who knows! And who knew but I can actually be kind of shy and reserved around new folk! Anyways, For the time being I'm trying to make more opportunities to reunite with these incredible friends of mine!
So last weekend I took the trek up to Logan to meet up with one of my best friends Courtney! We were roommates in college and have managed to remain friends over the years:) What I love about Court is that no matter how long we go without seeing each other we can always pick right up where we left off like time never passed. I have a few friends that I feel this same way about and am so happy to have them in my life!! So Courtney and I spent the day longboarding, taking a walk up the canyon, shopping, going out to the yummy Beehive Grill and finishing the night off with hours of reminiscing about the college years:) It's hard to believe that almost 9 years ago we were freshmen living in the dorms, makes me feel old! It was fun to think back about all the dumb, crazy, funny, surprising things we did at that age with no fear...kinda hard to believe! Oh not to mention all the random inside jokes we had back then, love it! The next day we hit up the Farmer's Market, bought some produce and jewelry, and took a drive around Logan before I got back in my car to head back to life in Orem and back to reality:) I absolutely loved getting away to have a girl's day/night with Court, and need to do it more often and also with other friends! Here are a few pictures from our time together:)
So last weekend I took the trek up to Logan to meet up with one of my best friends Courtney! We were roommates in college and have managed to remain friends over the years:) What I love about Court is that no matter how long we go without seeing each other we can always pick right up where we left off like time never passed. I have a few friends that I feel this same way about and am so happy to have them in my life!! So Courtney and I spent the day longboarding, taking a walk up the canyon, shopping, going out to the yummy Beehive Grill and finishing the night off with hours of reminiscing about the college years:) It's hard to believe that almost 9 years ago we were freshmen living in the dorms, makes me feel old! It was fun to think back about all the dumb, crazy, funny, surprising things we did at that age with no fear...kinda hard to believe! Oh not to mention all the random inside jokes we had back then, love it! The next day we hit up the Farmer's Market, bought some produce and jewelry, and took a drive around Logan before I got back in my car to head back to life in Orem and back to reality:) I absolutely loved getting away to have a girl's day/night with Court, and need to do it more often and also with other friends! Here are a few pictures from our time together:)
PEGGYLYN!
I can't believe September has come and gone and October has started out with 90 degree weather.. no complaints here!!! I love the warm weather and will be sad when it is gone, for now I will enjoy it while I can:)
Just a quick update on my licensing status. I PASSED THE EXAM! I am now a Certified Social Worker:) I am free from any sort of exam for quite a while! I finally feel like a burden has been lifted off of my shoulders that has been hanging there for a few months, this test has raised a lot of anxiety in me and I am so glad it's all over with! The next step is to begin my hours for complete licensure, I have to do 4000 hours which will take me a few years, but I am excited to get started on them! I have to say I really enjoy social work and feel so blessed to be working in this field. I learn so much everyday that helps me both professionally and personally!! I was recently hired on at my job at LDS Family Services also which is awesome! It is still a part time job but I'm happy it's a solid position and with my new license I will be getting a substantial pay raise:)
So I was thinking I wanted to start something a little new with this blog and that is to include posts about those I LOVE...a spotlight if you will! It's hard for me to talk about myself all the time (which is why my posts are far and few between) and there are so many people in my life that have influenced who I am so I thought it would be cool to talk about them too!! I don't know...we'll see how it goes...so just a warning to those reading you may be featured on here one day!!
My MOM had her birthday in September and so I thought it would only be appropriate to start with her.. Oh PEGGY, there's so much that could be said about this woman!! She is absolutely A-mazing! I have so many memories of my mom from my childhood..how she taught me how to do crafts, awesome birthday parties, she threw Mary Kay parties for me and my friends, how she would come to my softball and basketball games to support me (knitting or doing something while she watched!), driving in the car with her (and her invisible brake she tried to use when my driving made her nervous!) baking rolls for us and friends, making every holiday an event, making our home a place where everyone wanted to be, dropping me off at BYU, oh and did I mention she practically planned my wedding for me! To me, Peggy defines what hard work is and taught us kids to do the same! She always kept us busy with cleaning the house, sports, yard work and most important serving others! Some of these things I of course didn't like to do back then but they have blessed me now in my marriage and home:) My mom loves to serve others, has been doing it for years and will probably do it until the day she dies!! Not only has she served our family but everyone around her...teaching lei classes, cooking classes, sewing quilts, making dinners, housing and feeding countless college students, the list goes on! My mom genuinely cares about other people and wants to help them out in anyway she can. Oh and another thing, she has an amazing memory when it comes to recognizing people...which I hate and enjoy at the same time! She will recognize people from elementary school..it's insane! This woman has been put through so much by my dad and her 6 kids that she kind of has to be a spectacular individual...I know raising us was no walk in the park!! I seriously can't imagine having so many people to take care of, but she did it and a fine job she did! Not only is Peggy a great Mom, she is also a spectacular grandma! Always wanting and willing to watch the grandkids, teaching them to cook, taking them to movies, etc:) Hopefully she's not burned out by the time my kids enter this world!! I love my mom! the way she checks in with us frequently, monthly dinners, her thoughtful gifts, her crafty talents that I have yet to catch on to myself. She also did her best to make our childhood better than hers was, getting us involved in things she didn't have the opportunity to do herself...swimming, piano, etc. One of the most important lessons I learned from my mom was learning to recognize a want from a need, this has been a huge blessing in my life! Love you Peg:)
Please post any memories/fun facts you have of Peggy, I'd love to hear them!!
Just a quick update on my licensing status. I PASSED THE EXAM! I am now a Certified Social Worker:) I am free from any sort of exam for quite a while! I finally feel like a burden has been lifted off of my shoulders that has been hanging there for a few months, this test has raised a lot of anxiety in me and I am so glad it's all over with! The next step is to begin my hours for complete licensure, I have to do 4000 hours which will take me a few years, but I am excited to get started on them! I have to say I really enjoy social work and feel so blessed to be working in this field. I learn so much everyday that helps me both professionally and personally!! I was recently hired on at my job at LDS Family Services also which is awesome! It is still a part time job but I'm happy it's a solid position and with my new license I will be getting a substantial pay raise:)
So I was thinking I wanted to start something a little new with this blog and that is to include posts about those I LOVE...a spotlight if you will! It's hard for me to talk about myself all the time (which is why my posts are far and few between) and there are so many people in my life that have influenced who I am so I thought it would be cool to talk about them too!! I don't know...we'll see how it goes...so just a warning to those reading you may be featured on here one day!!
My MOM had her birthday in September and so I thought it would only be appropriate to start with her.. Oh PEGGY, there's so much that could be said about this woman!! She is absolutely A-mazing! I have so many memories of my mom from my childhood..how she taught me how to do crafts, awesome birthday parties, she threw Mary Kay parties for me and my friends, how she would come to my softball and basketball games to support me (knitting or doing something while she watched!), driving in the car with her (and her invisible brake she tried to use when my driving made her nervous!) baking rolls for us and friends, making every holiday an event, making our home a place where everyone wanted to be, dropping me off at BYU, oh and did I mention she practically planned my wedding for me! To me, Peggy defines what hard work is and taught us kids to do the same! She always kept us busy with cleaning the house, sports, yard work and most important serving others! Some of these things I of course didn't like to do back then but they have blessed me now in my marriage and home:) My mom loves to serve others, has been doing it for years and will probably do it until the day she dies!! Not only has she served our family but everyone around her...teaching lei classes, cooking classes, sewing quilts, making dinners, housing and feeding countless college students, the list goes on! My mom genuinely cares about other people and wants to help them out in anyway she can. Oh and another thing, she has an amazing memory when it comes to recognizing people...which I hate and enjoy at the same time! She will recognize people from elementary school..it's insane! This woman has been put through so much by my dad and her 6 kids that she kind of has to be a spectacular individual...I know raising us was no walk in the park!! I seriously can't imagine having so many people to take care of, but she did it and a fine job she did! Not only is Peggy a great Mom, she is also a spectacular grandma! Always wanting and willing to watch the grandkids, teaching them to cook, taking them to movies, etc:) Hopefully she's not burned out by the time my kids enter this world!! I love my mom! the way she checks in with us frequently, monthly dinners, her thoughtful gifts, her crafty talents that I have yet to catch on to myself. She also did her best to make our childhood better than hers was, getting us involved in things she didn't have the opportunity to do herself...swimming, piano, etc. One of the most important lessons I learned from my mom was learning to recognize a want from a need, this has been a huge blessing in my life! Love you Peg:)
Please post any memories/fun facts you have of Peggy, I'd love to hear them!!
HEY-O!!
So I am supposed to get the official word on Monday as to whether or not I will be hired on at LDS Family Services. My supervisor says she is 90% sure it's a go and I hope she's right! The position is part time but she told me once I'm officially hired we'll look into getting me more hours. So one waiting game ends while a new one starts. I have decided to hold off on a looking seriously for a second job but am occasionally filling out applications. If I could get 30 hours a week at LDSFS then I'd be set once my pay raise comes. Oh ya, the licensing exam. I am still studying for that and told my supervisor that I would take it by the end of the month. aaahhhh, test anxiety much:(
I find myself struggling some days because I'm so used to being busy with school, etc. and not so used to being home so much. Not sure if I like it. It's been nice to get some things organized and clean and not so nice to find it all reversed the next day. (oh the joy of living with three guys, I miss having clean, tidy, female roommates!) I am also struggling with some other things internally and the extra time just allows me to think and analyze too much.
So lets move on to more exciting things before this post gets too personal!! I have started running again and am contemplating doing a half marathon but not sure if I want to. I'm thinking maybe I should just get slowly back into it, so I still like it, rather than feeling like it's a chore!! We'll see what happens:)
I got my first facial the other day and was in heaven!! Thanks to my brother Jeff for getting me the gift!! I would recommend a facial to anyone, it was so calming, relaxing and well needed:) Who knew a face massage would be so awesome?:) It feels good to be pampered, wish I could do it more often!
Steve and I purchased what's called the "Pass of all Passes". The passes allow us unlimited miniature golf, batting cages, rock climbing, laser tag and go karts at Trafalga along with free admission to all the Owlz baseball games and Flash basketball games. Oh ya and seven peaks passes. It was an awesome deal and definitely worth the money! We paid $85 total and I think we've already almost got our money's worth!! Did I mention the passes are good until September 2011:) I figure we will be saving a lot of money on dates!!
I just realized I haven't posted about a recent miracle we witnessed a few weeks ago!! Jeff got married:) That's right the tiger has finally been caged!! We went to DC for a week and enjoyed a crazy family gathering with the Hopkinson crew! Jeff's wife, Mary, seems great for him and her(now their!) daughter, Chloe, is a cutie!! Here are some pics from the trip...
Ashwin!
Ellyit:)
Jim, Peg and their grandkids (minus Chloe)!!
Me and the Hubs
Wiped out from all the fun:)
Ellyit playing with uncle Steve:)
Skyler had to get a picture with the Pirate:)
All the nieces and nephew..love them! (notice Ellyit waving to the camera!)
Nikhil just relaxing, chatting on the phone in the hotel:)
I find myself struggling some days because I'm so used to being busy with school, etc. and not so used to being home so much. Not sure if I like it. It's been nice to get some things organized and clean and not so nice to find it all reversed the next day. (oh the joy of living with three guys, I miss having clean, tidy, female roommates!) I am also struggling with some other things internally and the extra time just allows me to think and analyze too much.
So lets move on to more exciting things before this post gets too personal!! I have started running again and am contemplating doing a half marathon but not sure if I want to. I'm thinking maybe I should just get slowly back into it, so I still like it, rather than feeling like it's a chore!! We'll see what happens:)
I got my first facial the other day and was in heaven!! Thanks to my brother Jeff for getting me the gift!! I would recommend a facial to anyone, it was so calming, relaxing and well needed:) Who knew a face massage would be so awesome?:) It feels good to be pampered, wish I could do it more often!
Steve and I purchased what's called the "Pass of all Passes". The passes allow us unlimited miniature golf, batting cages, rock climbing, laser tag and go karts at Trafalga along with free admission to all the Owlz baseball games and Flash basketball games. Oh ya and seven peaks passes. It was an awesome deal and definitely worth the money! We paid $85 total and I think we've already almost got our money's worth!! Did I mention the passes are good until September 2011:) I figure we will be saving a lot of money on dates!!
I just realized I haven't posted about a recent miracle we witnessed a few weeks ago!! Jeff got married:) That's right the tiger has finally been caged!! We went to DC for a week and enjoyed a crazy family gathering with the Hopkinson crew! Jeff's wife, Mary, seems great for him and her(now their!) daughter, Chloe, is a cutie!! Here are some pics from the trip...
Ashwin!
Ellyit:)
Jim, Peg and their grandkids (minus Chloe)!!
Me and the Hubs
Wiped out from all the fun:)
Ellyit playing with uncle Steve:)
Skyler had to get a picture with the Pirate:)
All the nieces and nephew..love them! (notice Ellyit waving to the camera!)
Nikhil just relaxing, chatting on the phone in the hotel:)
Unbelievable!
summer is almost over and that makes me sad (see sad face above)! It has been great to get to do so much with Steve. I feel lucky that he was able to take time off of work and school this summer to rejuvenate for the coming school year! Somehow we were able to make ends with my internship pay (not sure how)...I plan to continue to enjoy what is left of this summer and maybe get one more adventure in! It's hard to believe this year is well over half way through. I've had a lot on my mind lately and still have a bunch of stuff I'd like to do/accomplish before 2010 is over!! For now, school is finally over and I am supposedly a Master in Social Work, yay! I now get to start studying for my licensing exam so I can get a pay raise and start looking for a second job! Wahoo:) It feels good to say that I won't be in school ever again or at least not for a long time:) Anyhow, just a few thoughts...
The Luckiest!
Steve had his 29th birthday a few weeks ago and I'm just now posting about it:) We celebrated by going to Tucano's, watching Inception and then going out to ice cream. The next day we went up to the Deer Valley Festival to watch Ben Folds with the Utah Symphony. I absolutely love Ben Folds and was so excited! It was a good show:) I feel so lucky to have Steve in my life and can't imagine life without him!
Here are 29 reasons why I'm in love with this guy!!
1. He is Funny, he always makes me laugh!
2. Intelligent, one of the smartest people I know.
3. Caring
4. Spontaneous
5. He loves his family!
6. Loves MUSIC!!
7. Spirituality and love for Christ
8. Family is important to him
9. He takes care of me when I'm sick
10. He can fix pretty much anything
11. He will sing in the car with me.
12. He is a good cuddler!
13. He is laid back
14. Makes a yummy breakfast sandwich
15. He can be impulsive (which is good and bad!)
16. Extremely Good Looking
17. Good taste in movies
18. great with kids:)
19. always knows how to cheer me up
20. Honest and trustworthy
21. His smile
22. he likes to play sports!
23. Not afraid to dress up and be ridiculous
24. He is comfortable with who he is
25. Best friend I've ever had
26. Works hard for our future
27. His eyes
28. His laugh
29. Gives me a new reason every day why I love him:)
Here are 29 reasons why I'm in love with this guy!!
1. He is Funny, he always makes me laugh!
2. Intelligent, one of the smartest people I know.
3. Caring
4. Spontaneous
5. He loves his family!
6. Loves MUSIC!!
7. Spirituality and love for Christ
8. Family is important to him
9. He takes care of me when I'm sick
10. He can fix pretty much anything
11. He will sing in the car with me.
12. He is a good cuddler!
13. He is laid back
14. Makes a yummy breakfast sandwich
15. He can be impulsive (which is good and bad!)
16. Extremely Good Looking
17. Good taste in movies
18. great with kids:)
19. always knows how to cheer me up
20. Honest and trustworthy
21. His smile
22. he likes to play sports!
23. Not afraid to dress up and be ridiculous
24. He is comfortable with who he is
25. Best friend I've ever had
26. Works hard for our future
27. His eyes
28. His laugh
29. Gives me a new reason every day why I love him:)
Happy Birthwholeday!!
You don't just want to wish someone a happy birthday because that phrase, my friend, only recognizes the DAY part of a birthday.
It doesn't recognize the dark, predawn hours or the evening. The "NIGHT" parts of the day, as it were. Those parts add up to a WHOLE day, not just the "DAY" part. And they need to be recognized. So HAPPY BIRTHWHOLEDAY to Steve! (yesterday) All 24 hours, not just the day part!
It doesn't recognize the dark, predawn hours or the evening. The "NIGHT" parts of the day, as it were. Those parts add up to a WHOLE day, not just the "DAY" part. And they need to be recognized. So HAPPY BIRTHWHOLEDAY to Steve! (yesterday) All 24 hours, not just the day part!
Marathon....check!!
Oh ya, I ran a marathon last month and Well I'm finally mentally ready to report/relive the events of that day, ha ha!! This is going to be long because I want to document everything I can so next time I think about wanting to run another marathon I can come back and read this to remind myself what I would be getting myself into:)
The morning of the marathon we had to wake up around 3:00 am in order to get ready and leave the house and get to the Provo Towne Centre mall by 4:00 where we would catch a shuttle to the starting line. For some reason I experience an awesome amount of anxiety prior to running races (that's a whole other story), fun stuff! Anyhow we were on the freeway heading to the mall when Andrea realized she forgot her timing chip so we had to turn around. A little annoying but it was nobody's fault and luckily we had plenty of time.
When we got to the mall and were boarding the shuttles something hit me (or more my stomach area.) and I realized "I need to go to the bathroom." I boarded the shuttle and sat next to some stranger and pretty much spent the 40 minute ride telling myself, "Hold on you're almost there." After the most uncomfortable bus ride of my life we arrived near the starting line but had to walk up a hill to get there. I found the port a potties and also found an enormous crowd of people waiting in line, so I quickly jumped in line while hoping I would make it to the toilet before...you know. While standing in line a guy announced over the speaker that people needed to start heading to the starting line and if you were in line for the bathroom you probably won't make it. Yes! That's exactly what I wanted to hear, luckily I was next in line for a toilet and finally got to go.
After concluding that feat we headed for the starting line. Upon arriving at the starting line it started raining:( So I opted to keep some of my layers on. I was freezing, of course those of you who know me know that it doesn't take much for me to get cold! Anyhow the race seemed like it was taking forever to start and the anxiety just kept getting worse. Finally the gun was shot and we were off! I was quickly separated from the people I started out with and was on my own pretty much the whole race.
Here is my breakdown of the race:
Miles 1-5: I was super cold, but felt great with my pace! By mile 5 my jacket was completely soaked through so I shed it and threw it off to the side.
Miles 6-9: Still feeling good with my pace and enjoying the scenery! But not enjoying the rain:(
Mile 10: My knee was in a ton of pain and I literally couldn't run, everytime I would try I felt like I wanted to die! So I was forced to walk:(
Mile 11-17: Hmmm..alot happened during this time. I continued to try to run but didn't last long. This was also during alot of the up and downhill. I found what looked like ibuprofen in a bag on the ground and you bet I took it! Anything to help the pain, right!? This portion of the race was completely mental for me. I was so frustrated because I still had so much energy but couldn't use it and it was so hard to watch all these people pass me, my competitive side was hurt:) I also felt bad because I knew people were waiting for me and that I was going to take a lot longer than expected.. Oh and I needed to pee but every time I came to a port a potty there was a line and I didn't want to add on that much more time to my race, so I pushed on. It finally stopped raining somewhere during this time.
Mile 18: I finally broke down and stopped at a port a potty and waited. I asked a lady if she knew what time it was and she said we were at about 3 hours 25 min. I was surprised and thought I was doing a lot worse. I figured in my head I had 9 miles left and if I could try to do a 10 minute mile I could at least get under 5 hours. So after using the bathroom I had a new found mind set and energy!
Mile 19-24- I pushed as hard as I could and ran as far as I could through the pain and would then walk for a minute before repeating the process. By this time there were people cheering along the way which helped motivate me and made me want to push harder. I started to see people that previously passed me who were walking and so felt like I was doing okay. I would target people ahead of me and work to pass them and then target more, this has always helped me in races. I just kept thinking I just need to get to Mile 25 where my peeps were waiting for me to pass.
Mile 25- I passed Steve, Stacie, Brandon, Court and the kids and of course was trying to run hard and make it look like I wasn't in pain. After that I knew I was close I just kept running. I saw my cousin's wife Hanna walking ahead and finally caught. I told her, "Let's finish this!" So we ran the last mile together.
Mile 26.2- I actually sprinted the last 200 meters just because I was so over the race, the pain, the cold, all of it! they announced my name, gave me a medal and I headed straight for a piece of pizza:) I was hungry!
After I finished I headed back to find Andrea and attempted to run with her to help her finish, she did awesome!!
Recovery: We got massages after the race which was amazing but too short. I got home to find huge blood blisters on my toes, so gross! Steve doctored my feet for me:) Other than that I was just in pain for the next week or so, mainly in my knees and feet.
THE END
The morning of the marathon we had to wake up around 3:00 am in order to get ready and leave the house and get to the Provo Towne Centre mall by 4:00 where we would catch a shuttle to the starting line. For some reason I experience an awesome amount of anxiety prior to running races (that's a whole other story), fun stuff! Anyhow we were on the freeway heading to the mall when Andrea realized she forgot her timing chip so we had to turn around. A little annoying but it was nobody's fault and luckily we had plenty of time.
When we got to the mall and were boarding the shuttles something hit me (or more my stomach area.) and I realized "I need to go to the bathroom." I boarded the shuttle and sat next to some stranger and pretty much spent the 40 minute ride telling myself, "Hold on you're almost there." After the most uncomfortable bus ride of my life we arrived near the starting line but had to walk up a hill to get there. I found the port a potties and also found an enormous crowd of people waiting in line, so I quickly jumped in line while hoping I would make it to the toilet before...you know. While standing in line a guy announced over the speaker that people needed to start heading to the starting line and if you were in line for the bathroom you probably won't make it. Yes! That's exactly what I wanted to hear, luckily I was next in line for a toilet and finally got to go.
After concluding that feat we headed for the starting line. Upon arriving at the starting line it started raining:( So I opted to keep some of my layers on. I was freezing, of course those of you who know me know that it doesn't take much for me to get cold! Anyhow the race seemed like it was taking forever to start and the anxiety just kept getting worse. Finally the gun was shot and we were off! I was quickly separated from the people I started out with and was on my own pretty much the whole race.
Here is my breakdown of the race:
Miles 1-5: I was super cold, but felt great with my pace! By mile 5 my jacket was completely soaked through so I shed it and threw it off to the side.
Miles 6-9: Still feeling good with my pace and enjoying the scenery! But not enjoying the rain:(
Mile 10: My knee was in a ton of pain and I literally couldn't run, everytime I would try I felt like I wanted to die! So I was forced to walk:(
Mile 11-17: Hmmm..alot happened during this time. I continued to try to run but didn't last long. This was also during alot of the up and downhill. I found what looked like ibuprofen in a bag on the ground and you bet I took it! Anything to help the pain, right!? This portion of the race was completely mental for me. I was so frustrated because I still had so much energy but couldn't use it and it was so hard to watch all these people pass me, my competitive side was hurt:) I also felt bad because I knew people were waiting for me and that I was going to take a lot longer than expected.. Oh and I needed to pee but every time I came to a port a potty there was a line and I didn't want to add on that much more time to my race, so I pushed on. It finally stopped raining somewhere during this time.
Mile 18: I finally broke down and stopped at a port a potty and waited. I asked a lady if she knew what time it was and she said we were at about 3 hours 25 min. I was surprised and thought I was doing a lot worse. I figured in my head I had 9 miles left and if I could try to do a 10 minute mile I could at least get under 5 hours. So after using the bathroom I had a new found mind set and energy!
Mile 19-24- I pushed as hard as I could and ran as far as I could through the pain and would then walk for a minute before repeating the process. By this time there were people cheering along the way which helped motivate me and made me want to push harder. I started to see people that previously passed me who were walking and so felt like I was doing okay. I would target people ahead of me and work to pass them and then target more, this has always helped me in races. I just kept thinking I just need to get to Mile 25 where my peeps were waiting for me to pass.
Mile 25- I passed Steve, Stacie, Brandon, Court and the kids and of course was trying to run hard and make it look like I wasn't in pain. After that I knew I was close I just kept running. I saw my cousin's wife Hanna walking ahead and finally caught. I told her, "Let's finish this!" So we ran the last mile together.
Mile 26.2- I actually sprinted the last 200 meters just because I was so over the race, the pain, the cold, all of it! they announced my name, gave me a medal and I headed straight for a piece of pizza:) I was hungry!
After I finished I headed back to find Andrea and attempted to run with her to help her finish, she did awesome!!
Recovery: We got massages after the race which was amazing but too short. I got home to find huge blood blisters on my toes, so gross! Steve doctored my feet for me:) Other than that I was just in pain for the next week or so, mainly in my knees and feet.
THE END
Jubilant June!!
Just wanted to give an update on June because apparently I have fallen into the habit of being about a month behind on this thing:) Steven and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary! It's amazing how quickly the last year has slipped by:) I feel so lucky to have Steven in my life and can't imagine not having him around to make me laugh! He always knows just what I need (even when I don't think I need it!) and he is always willing to help out with whatever he can! I planned our anniversary date this year and feel like it was pretty successful! We started out by going to the dollar theater and watching "Clash of the Titans." We then headed to the India Palace for some yummy food:) After dinner we went to Trafalga and played miniature golf, and of course a few rounds of the basketball shooting game (my fave!). After getting my butt kicked in golf and basketball, we went and got some yummy ice cream at Farr's Fresh (i think that's the name). I love that place because you get to pick your flavor and serve yourself with as much or as little ice cream as you want. You put on the toppings and then you just pay by the ounce, fantastic idea!! The plan was to go bowling afterwards but since I'm an old lady, was recovering from the marathon, oh and can't seem to stay up as late as I used to, we decided just to head home!! Here are some pictures from that night:)
MAY!
It's been awhile since I've updated this blog, here are some of things we've been up to this month:)
Graduation Day! What a tease, I'm still not finished with classes, but very close:)
Before the Convocation we went Zupa's to eat dinner and afterward we celebrated with some ice cream at Cold Stone!
Ester and Mel came to visit!
My 27th Birthday! Bowling and Pizza with Friends:)
Day Trip to Goblin Valley and Little Wildhorse Canyon
I love Hiking!
Graduation Day! What a tease, I'm still not finished with classes, but very close:)
Before the Convocation we went Zupa's to eat dinner and afterward we celebrated with some ice cream at Cold Stone!
Ester and Mel came to visit!
My 27th Birthday! Bowling and Pizza with Friends:)
Day Trip to Goblin Valley and Little Wildhorse Canyon
I love Hiking!
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