Sunday, March 29, 2015

One Year of Marriage



Friday Nate and I celebrated our one year anniversary. I was overwhelmed with all the feelings throughout the day. I thought back to where we were just one year ago and in so many ways it felt like yesterday. However, at the same time I feel like we've grown so much, and come so far. I love him more than words can say, and I'm so grateful that every day this past year has been full of his kind words. I've loved every day of this year, as we've settled into this together life.

There are so many moments of this past year that I always want to remember-moving into our home, shopping at Target for free, our first trip to the ER together, our weekend in St. George with a broken down car, climbing Timp, exploring the coast and eating at the Sea Hag, drives through Oregon, Idaho, and Utah filled with meaningful conversation, our first Christmas, the day at the zoo, and countless hours spent making this apartment our home.

I thought I loved him a year ago, and I can't believe how much I love him now. I can't wait to see how that love grows over the years.

It was a quiet, happy anniversary-and here is to an eternity more of them.



We've Had Some Birthdays-Shout Hooray!

Birthdays are kind of a big deal around here. It's basically the perfect excuse to partake in all your favorite things! I like to make sure that all birthdays involve a lot of whatever the birthday person loves-myself included! Well mine and Nate's birthdays are only nine days apart, so what has been happening instead is one day of a lot of celebrating, a week of minor celebrating, capped off by another day of lots of celebrating.

It's kind of the best!

This year for my birthday we took it fairly easy. I had a pretty bad cold, but we still managed to make it one of my very best. We went to lunch at Black Sheep Cafe, went to see the Cinderella movie, got as many free birthday treats as possible and relaxed all evening. It was perfect.




That weekend we met up with my family to celebrate both of our birthdays. We took a stroll around the capitol, had a delicious dinner at Tucanos and opened a few presents. Sunday we had cake and ice cream with the rest of the family. It was a blast to celebrate both of our birthdays with so many people we love.











 (For me-two small candles representing a 2-for a "25")

  (for Nate-he's 26 now!)


 This past Saturday was Nathan's birthday! I made sure we did all of his favorite things! We stayed up late so he could open his presents at midnight. The next morning we slept in, and went out for breakfast. After that we went shooting, and we both had the best times-we probably only missed three clays between the two of us! Later we went to dinner at a delicious Chilean restaurant and went bowling.







We had the happiest nine days celebrating together. I loved my birthday, and Nate spoils me every year. But I have to admit that I love his birthday even more-I just love getting to celebrate him and have so many of his friends and family reach out to tell him how great he is. Because he really is the best.

This year especially I was overwhelmed by the love and kindness extended to us both by our friends and family during our birthdays. I have always said that I am surrounded by the best best people. Since Nate and I got married that circle of people has only grown. I'm so grateful for the wonderful people in both of our lives. Thanks for your friendship!

I can't wait to see what this next year has in store for the two of us-as 25 and 26 year olds. I have a feeling it is going to be a memorable one!

Date Nights

Date night is something I take pretty seriously. Which is a great thing right? Couples need alone time, time to build their relationship, time to have fun. While all that is true it is kind of hilarious how serious I am about date night because of our life right now-we spend every night hanging out together, usually just the two of us-making dinner, going out, watching movies, playing games.

Basically, every night is date night.

However, despite that awesome fact, we do take special care on Fridays to go out on a "date night"-and do something special or different. A couple weeks ago we found ourselves spending date night at the Fashion Place mall for a little shopping, some testing out of Brookstone massage chairs, and most importantly to see these amazing Legos. It was a traveling show of famous American buildings made entirely of Legos. It was so impressive, and a lot of fun to check out.

As Nate put it-it was the best time he'd ever had at the mall. Another win for date night!
















Thursday, March 19, 2015

On my 25th Birthday

Today I turn 25.

25 is such a big number, at least it seems that way from this side of it. 

24 was so good to me, it may be a little hard to say goodbye. 24 brought me to the temple; in it I was married. I filled the days of 24 with hard work, good books, prayer, wonderful people, exciting vacations, and more laughter than ever before. Every day of it was filled with kind words, and kisses from my best friend.And for all this, along with the times of struggle and difficulty that came in it, I am so grateful.

I have high hopes for 25.

Hopes for more happiness, and new adventures. I hope 25 brings more self assurance, even more peace with who I am and where I'm at. I hope it brings new friends, and  better relationships with those I'm lucky to claim now. I hope it brings continued growth, increased knowledge, and even more laughter. I hope that in it I become a little better in each of my roles-wife, daughter, sister, friend. I hope it brings the kind of deeply-rooted strength that comes from overcoming hard things, and the overwhelmingly pure joy that comes from fully appreciating the blessings that are mine. 

I hope it brings more days at the zoo-days of complete happiness with Nate. Days where we let the worries and stresses go, and just look lions in the eye. 

And more than anything I hope that one year from today, among all the celebrating,  I'll read this little post and come to find that all my hopes for 25, and those I don't even know of right now, came true.

At least, that's what I'll be wishing for when I blow my candles out today.