.Graduation.

After three years of lots of play and some hard work I graduated USU! It was very bitter sweet. I have loved my time at Utah State. Loved the amazing Aggies I have met, the late nights in the library and the crazy adventures all over campus. 

However, after much prayer and discussion I have decided to go back to get my masters in accounting so I guess I don't need to get too sentimental. I'm excited and nervous to get into the graduate school but it feels right so I will just jump into and start breathing again when I'm done. I will also be working for the admissions office as a Recruitment Specialist full time as well. I'm excited to find those that are looking for the Aggie experience and will have as an amazing experience as I did.  This job will take me on the road a lot, which will make this accelerated graduate program a bit difficult but I've never been afraid of a challenge. So goodbye undergraduate school and hello crazy graduate program.

FOREVER AN AGGIE!

The One Who Does

When B and I were dating I noticed something about B that set him apart from everyone else. He did what he said he would do! No matter what it was, he would allows follow through! Even crazy outrageous promises he would make me he would somehow find a way to make it happen. After knowing me a two weeks he drove up to Logan, picked me up for a date in Layton and drove me home again, all because he said he would! Love it!

Recently, I asked him if he would start making dinner once a week. He said he would and dinner he made! I came home to stir-fry on the stove and the rice in the cooker. Unfortunately, there was a little mishap...





He left the recipe book in the bottom of the rice cooker and we finally realized this after the entire house started smelling like smoke! Besides this, the dinner was delicious! I am so thankful for his help. Especially since this semester has been crazy, for both of us!
Brady works 12 hours a week volunteers for 8 hours on Wednesdays, starting to do research for 4 hours a week and is going to school full time! On top of this he is always throwing in the laundry, leaving cute notes, planning fun dates and studying 20+ hours a week for the MCAT.  I am also working between 35 to 40 hours, taking 18 credits and trying to balance University and Quiggley Ambassadors, while feeding the B man and keeping our house from always looking like a tornado. So we will keep on keepin on and try and find joy in the little things, like Brady almost burning down the house. It is almost the weekend which means loads of studying and then when we are done, we get to PARTY! Can't wait!

p.s. Brady and I have been married a year! Brady planned the perfect anniversary retreat! It started out with a surprise invitation to take off, just the two of us! The balloons are familiar huh?

We went to the GORGEOUS Little America Hotel. I had never been and I loved it! We spent time reading our books, swimming in the indoor/outdoor pool, and eating treats while watching movies!

Our cake stayed beautiful! Thanks cousin Shelley! We loved it! So fun to remember that perfect day!

We were also able to grab dinner and yummy hot chocolate with our anniversary buddies! These guys are so fun to be with and we are so lucky to be able to share anniversaries.

Favorites of 2011

Wow that year went fast! It honestly feels like we were just engaged and planning the wedding. Now our first year of marriage has come and past faster then blinking. When B and I were talking we reminisced on some of our favorites of the past year. Here are some that made the list:

1. GETTING MARRIED!

We had a tough time getting there. When we were dating all I wanted to do was postpone postpone postpone and then the second I got a ring everything changed and Brady was the one who started getting stressed. So when we finally made it to the Celestial room, there was a sigh of relief from everyone. It was the best decision we made all year and will probably be the best one we made our entire lives.

2. CALIFORNIA

Although we didn't make half of what we wanted to this summer, our relationship grew immensely. Every morning we would pull on the swim suits, grab the goggles, music and towels and head to the pool. We loved doing laps and then racing and dunking each other over and over again. Then B would go to work and I would spend the day crafting or getting a special dinner ready for him. We loved being in a new place and having our own little adventure.

3. Crazy Schedules

Although we are reluctant to admit it, are crazy schedules have been a fun memory. Our first semester together I got a job at the gym on campus. I would work in the mornings at 5 to 10 then go to school the rest of the day. Cute Brady would wake up with me and drive me to work even though he didn't have to be there until later. And the nights I would have to close at 11 p.m., he would always come and grab a basketball and play until I was done so I wouldn't have to go home alone. He is a sweetie!

4. Grandma

Living at Grandmas house has been such a blessing. We worked hard to make this little place our own and grandma has been so patient with us. She is always inviting us to eat things from her garden. She has taught us how to make things last and to not take anything for granted.

5. Our Families

We have been blessed with such great families! They are so great that we sometimes have a hard time deciding where to spend our time. Even though it gets hard sometimes, we love when we are with them! We have had so much fun playing games, making movies and having fun retreats with them. I was able to go to park city for a fun webb girl weekend and brady went paintballing for the man trip. We also went to St. George with the Webbs for a fun end of summer get away and we went to Reno for Thanksgiving with the Andersons. We would not be where we are today if it weren't for our families and we are thrilled we get to spend eternity with them!

So good-bye 2011 and hello 2012! We know that you will bring more adventures and memories!

HAPPY belated NEW YEAR!

.Thankful.

I am a blessed person. There are so many blessings that I have recieved with out much consideration. When life gets so busy I forget how blessed I really am, and I don't want to do that. So since Thanksgiving is this week I thought it was a good idea to mention two people that I am so grateful for.

1. Brady. He is calm, patient, entertaining, spontaneous, and has an unbeatable work ethic. My favorite moments is when I come home from school to see that with his spare five minutes he has vacuumed the house, started the laundry or done the dishes. He is always doing things to make me happy. When I think how my life would have been if I hadn't married him I shudder. I don't think I could be this happy without him. I love his strong testimony and his little jokes he is always laughing at. One story that completely encompasses how patient he is happened a couple weekends ago. It was a late Saturday night and he wanted his hair cut. I've only cut one person's hair before, Taylor Wood, and that didn't turn out so good. He had to have his dad come and shave it all off when I was done. Well Brady's poor hair didn't even make it that far. With one swoop I had buzzed his head right down the middle. I cried and he laughed asking if he could keep it as a mullet. Oh I love this man! Always turning drama filled situations into ones we can laugh about!

2. Grandma. She is such a powerful example of consistency, endurance and charity. She wakes up before we do EVERY Tuesday and takes two busses to get to the temple, does two sessions and comes home. She goes by herself and never complains. She is always offering to babysit peoples kids or bring people meals. She is always looking out for Brady and me. It is always a race between us to see who can get our clothes out of the dryer and folded first, she usually always beats us to it. She is letting us stay here with out asking for much. She is always saving her money so that she can have some in the bank to help her kids. Oh how I love this woman. The other night she came and rang our doorbell a couple times so I could come look at a deer in the back yard. I would have never have taken the time to notice this beautiful creation if it hadn't been for her.

Life is all about learning and gaining experience, and I am forever grateful for the people that help me along the way.

The final product. His hair has never been this short!

The mullet

.Days of Summer.

Now that the snow is coming, I am missing those days in California. Being away from Utah helped B and I come closer together. We had so many fun days... probably more then we should have because B was supposed to be working 24/7... but we had fun!

Like the night we watched the Harry Potter movie premier. I love Harry Potter. I developed this love while staying up all night reading each of the books. Jami would get the book first, read it within a day, and would hand it down to me. I would keep all the lights on down stairs because the books were a bit scary, and then I would fall asleep in school dreaming of spells and far away magical schools. So when the FINAL movie came out, I was SOO excited. Brady was so sweet and watched all the past movies with me the week before. The night of the premier we all played fun HP games like... who can remember the most spells... HP trivia.. and pass the magic. I still am pretty sad that there are no more movies or books to come out... so its a good thing we can watch them all over again anytime we want!

We went to the beach all the time. I LOVE THE BEACH! We had the sweetest wardies who let us borrow their surf boards and wet suits. We had a great time teaching ourselves to surf! We also laid out a lot, built sand castles and spent time wishing we lived in Cali all the time.

The swimming pool in our back yard was our favorite past time. We would swim almost every day. We bought some goggles and loved timing each other swim across the pool over and over again. We also worked hard on our dives and flips... we were pretty creative by the end of the summer.

We spent a night in Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Hollywood was pretty ghetto but fun to see all the sights. Beverly Hills was gorgeous and is now where our future home will reside. This made b think of the Might Ducks. I had never seen it so we spent another night watching it... I mean watching the FULL TRILOGY!

One night we stayed up way too late. This brought on some weird activities.. like seeing who could fit in the smallest place... we try and go to bed early now days.

From bowling to crafting to ice cream... our summer in Camarillo will forever stay in my heart! I loved shopping at the outlets, walking to the local fabric store and soaking up the sun... hopefully one day we can go back!

.Santa Monica Pier Date Night.

Although the boys spent most of their time working, Elyse and I convinced them to take some time off to treat us to a fun night at the Santa Monica Pier.

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We ate at Bubba Gumps for my first time!!

Brady gets a little competitive and we spent WAY too much money trying to climb this ladder

Two peas in a pod

Brady bought me a churro! I love when he spoils me!

Gorgeous View!

I love going on date nights with my hubs!! He is the cutest, sweetest thing in the world! I don't know what I would do with out him

.Fourth of July.

The 4th of July has always been one of my most favorite holidays. I love the parade, the fireworks and the patriotism. I got home from South America on July 2 so Brady only had a few days to plan a fun day! Thankfully he had help from his incredible mom and the Ellis'. His mom sent us a cute package filled with red and blue candy with matching 4th of July shirts and some fireworks!

We started the day by going over to the Ellis' for funnel cakes and fruit.

.Our matching shirts.

Then we spent hours trying to find a parade. Elyse loves parades just as much as I do so when we couldn't find one, there were two sad girls in California. We rewarded ourselves by going to the beach.

Our favorite thing about the beach, besides the sun, was skim boarding. I never could do it, but Brady was awesome at it.

He's gonna be a cute daddy some day!!

We ended the night with a BBQ and watching the fireworks with the ward.

I am so grateful for all the freedom I have. For all those that have given their lives for our country, thank you! Happy 4th of July!