♥ Likes and Dislikes.

Over the course of our marriage, Brooks and I have obviously gotten to know each other really well.  We've seen all of each other's quirks, preferences, and habits.  

It's been a lot of fun to really "learn" each other, and get to the point where we can order food for each other, pick out an outfit for each other (i.e. when Brooks is running late at work and we have to be somewhere, so I'll grab some of his clothes and meet him to save time), and buy gifts for each other.  I, for example, am an amazing gift giver, because I've gotten to know Brooks' nerdy side and also his sporty side.  For example, I've given him the complete extended edition trilogy of Lord of the Rings on Blu-ray (his favorite), a Super Mario edition chess board, a Giants baseball cap, etc. 

So, with all of our acquired knowledge, I thought it'd be fun to write a little post on our Likes and Dislikes that we've learned from each other.  It's funny how different we can be, yet how easily we get along.

BROOKS:

Likes:

• Mexican Food
• Xbox
• Sports of any kind (except Women's basketball)
• Brad Pitt
• ESPN
• Coke Zero
• LeBron James
• Sweet Tarts
• Netflix
• Christie's cookies
• Reading
• Michael Buble
• Cartoons
• The Suns, Giants, Diamondbacks, 49ers, Cardinals, Kings, and Heat. (I made sure he started supporting my home teams as well as his)
• Going out to the movies
• In-n-out
• Tupac, Macklemore, and Eminem (yeah, he's so fly.)
• Sonic (both the dog and the drive-in)
• Science Fiction
• Folded T-shirts
• Cheese
• Gym Shorts
• Cleanliness

Dislikes:

• Shopping
• Asian Food
• Puzzles
• Cats
• The Spurs, Celtics, Lakers, Yankees, Mavericks, and Dodgers
• The Bachelor 
• Christie's clothes on the floor
• Utah Drivers
• Paul Walker & Vin Diesel (basically just the Fast and the Furious series)
• T-shirts on hangers
• Miley Cyrus
• Snow
• Obey clothing brand
• People who wear sunglasses indoors
• Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki
• Chewing Gum
• Kraft Mac & Cheese
• Soulja Boi
• Wearing sandals
• The Kardashians
• Taking pictures
• iPhones (he thinks people are sheep and just get them because they're "cool")
• Clutter of any kind
• Other people touching his Xbox
• Christie's driving

CHRISTIE:

Likes:

• Taylor Swift
• Asian and Seafood of any kind
• The Notebook
• Jigsaw Puzzles
• Reading
• Peanut M&Ms
• Game Shows
• Anthropologie
• Going out to the movies
• Channing Tatum, Ryan Gosling, and Cam Newton
• Baseball, Basketball, and Football
• White Chocolate
• Dogs, cats, and animals of any kind
• Netflix
• SWEET POTATO FRIES
• Board Games
• Taking Pictures
• Zupas, In-n-out, Panda Express, and SUSHI
• Ellen DeGeneres
• Spinach
• Drinking with straws
• Blankets
• Singing in the car
• the color White
• iPhones
• Baby pictures

Dislikes:

• The Kardashians, Kanye West, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, and Nicholas Cage
• Mexican Food
• Tomatoes
• Utah Drivers
• Radio stations
• Gay impressions (making fun of gay people)
• Graduation ceremonies
• Crocs
• Beauty Pageants
• Being told "no"
• Cold sandwiches
• Breastfeeding in public
• People who wear sunglasses indoors
• White girls acting like gangsters
• TWILIGHT
• Tyler Perry and all of his movies
• Pride and Prejudice (and Jane Austin for that matter)
• Mustard and Mayo
• Thanksgiving Turkey
• Fedoras
• Choirs
• Brooks reading on the toilet

Well that's a little bit about us that we've learned from each other.  Some things we agree perfectly on, others we have the complete opposite tastes!  I guess that's what keeps things interesting.  Sure do love him though.

Xoxo.

♥ Hello Natalie, So Long California.

She's finally home!!

After spending 18 months anxiously refreshing my email on Mondays so I could read her latest letter, dialing her number just to remember she wouldn't answer, and crying whenever Mean Girls came on, Natalie's homecoming was surreal and wonderful.

She is SO full of light and joy, and just exudes serenity and happiness.  It definitely twists the knife a little bit seeing how much she's changed knowing that I can't serve a mission until Brooks and I are old together.  Ahhhh well.

This last week was SO fun and went by way too fast.  

Tuesday night I embarked on a short little journey to California by taking two flights, one to Las Vegas, and then the next to Sacramento (can someone PLEASE explain to me why non-direct flights decide to fly you in the exact opposite direction of your destination??? So annoying).  Brooks had to work, so he didn't join me until late Saturday night, so it was just me and my good pal Sonic.  I must admit, I felt quite popular at the airports with him working the crowd everywhere he went.  The flights were nice because the planes were basically empty so I got an entire row to myself and spent the duration of the rides reading on my kindle app... which as much as I try to like it, it's just not the same as a good, ol' paperback.  Wow, I sound like I'm ninety...

Anyways...

Natalie came home on Wednesday morning, and after spending time catching up with relatives at the airport, our family headed over to Mimi's Cafe for some good breakfast.  We OF COURSE made a stop on the way home to AT&T so Nat could get her iPhone set up (priorities people) and then went home to relax and listened to some amazing missionary stories.

Here's the cutest homecoming video you'll EVER see!  (Props to my uncle Doug Orchard!  He put the whole thing together in just a couple of hours.  Seriously, I would get married again just to have him video it!)

        

On Thursday we headed to San Fran so Natalie could get her hair done (again, priorities people), so Stephen, Brad and I headed to Pier 39 to enjoy some magic shows and, my favorite of course, seafood.  My brothers and I played our favorite game called "Pat" where you try and find the most pats (people who are nearly impossible to decipher what gender they are).  Brad got 80 one time I believe.  Gotta love it.

Friday was spent outdoors swimming in my grandparents' new doughboy pool and enjoying their BBQ.  Natalie got fried after 18 months of no sun haha, what a cute missionary.  That night she had an open house so all our friends and family could come drop by and see her, and it was SO fun seeing some old friends from high school and who just got off their missions as well! 

My gramps and Sonic.  The bestest of friends.

Saturday was pretty much spent playing the Wii and helping Nat learn Instagram and all the latest technology stuff (it's seriously amazing how much you can miss in just 18 months).  That night we went to my mom's last ever Upstage show, her dancing performance group that she has been running for over 20 years! It was so good and fun, and I even got emotional realizing it was my last ever time watching it.  Brooks FINALLY got home that night, so my mood was instantly better.  My aunt said I looked like a lost puppy dog without him.  What can I say, he's just so cute.

Sunday we of course went to church to hear Natalie's homecoming talk which was unreal.  Lots of tears were shed and it was so heartfelt and honest, not rehearsed like most talks.  SO good.  Afterwards we had the entire gang over for a luncheon where Brooks and I promptly fell asleep after our food comas.  I've missed my mom's cooking.  We also went and visited some of my best friends from back home that I haven't seen in years, which was so, so fun.  Brooks and I won the prize for greatest ever Father's Day card, which we found weeks in advance and got for both of our fathers because we loved it so much.  We both love corny/inappropriate jokes I guess.

Logan's love for Sonic isn't quite reciprocated...

Monday we headed to San Fran again for some major girl shopping (p r i o r i t i e s) while the guys saw the new Superman movie, fulfilled our tradition of eating at the Cheesecake Factory on top of the 5 story Macys, and went to the Giants game!  Although the game was super exciting and went into extra innings, the Giants lost, but we still had a blast eating nachos and dancing on the dance cam.  One of our (Brooks and I) bucket list items is to visit every major league ballpark in America, and this was Brooks' first time at AT&T Park, and he loved how it looked over the bay and enjoyed all the millions of seagulls that come clean up leftover hotdogs immediately after the game ended (Seriously, it's just like Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds.  It's creepy.)  It was a perfect day.

Tuesday was a sad day, as it was our last day EVER at my parents house (they move to South Jordan in two weeks) and maybe the last time in Loomis for a long, long time.  We went over and swam at my grandparents again and played volleyball and ate pizza.  That night was just spent with family and included getting shakes at Taylors (bomb as always) for the last time, and playing card games.  I love my family, and as sad as I am that they're leaving my hometown, I will love having them closer.

 Seriously, look how many flavors of shakes they have, and this isn't even all of them!

 

Wednesday we were off, and after waving goodbye to our cute house one last time, we stopped in Reno to eat some sushi with my bestie from high school, and then continued the 10 hour drive to Utah (which was of course was filled with a J.T. soundtrack, diet coke, and talks about the future with the love of my life.  I seriously am so lucky to be married to my best friend).

We are now back to work and reality.  I really am loving my position at the Central Utah Clinic (especially since they buy us lunch EVERY SINGLE DAY.  The way to my heart is definitely through my stomach), and I'm so blessed to be doing something I really love that can help support my family financially.

Well, this post probably got out of hand length wise, but you guys can deal.

Things I'm grateful for:

Missions:  They really are such an amazing opportunity, and although I haven't been on one personally, I have seen first hand how life changing they can be and encourage everyone to go on one!

Sonic: I must admit, it feels incredibly lonely to go back to sleeping by yourself after being so used to snuggling up with someone.  It was a major comfort having Sonic be able to snuggle with me and help keep my mind off Brooks while we were apart.

My Extended Family: I really have amazing cousins/uncles/aunts and I love how they all help each other and all cook really well.  It makes me want to always live close to family.

Till next time peeps.

Xoxo.

♥ T. Swift & stuff.

This week has been spectacular.

Not only did I get an externship at the gastroenterology clinic in Provo, but I also won 2 tickets to the Taylor Swift concert.

On Wednesday evening Brooks and I were driving home from Salt Lake and were listening to the radio (which we hardly ever do), when one of the radio hosts mentioned that they'd be giving away tickets at 7:20 am for the Taylor Swift concert the next morning.  I immediately set my alarm for 7:15 (which is a big deal, since I'm not a morning person and can happily sleep in till 11 if I choose) the next day as a desperate chance to win.  My alarm went off the next morning, and thankfully it woke Brooks up because I naturally pressed snooze and continued my sleep, until he shook me awake.  I dialed the number and was all ready to press send as I waited for the go ahead from the talk show hosts.  At 7:23 they finally announced (It was a long three minutes...) that the 10th caller would win two tickets, and I immediately began calling.  Each time the line was busy, until the fifth time it went through and began dialing.  I immediately began hyperventilating and when they picked up I shouted "AM I THE TENTH CALLER?!?!!" and they said yes, but that I needed to win the "Battle of the Brains" first.  Now, as evidenced by my high school GPA, my brain does not work until about 10 am (the reason why I consistently got B's in all my morning classes).  The radio host explained that we (the second talk show host and myself) would go back and forth naming an instrument from an orchestra until one of us couldn't come up with one, and whoever said the last one would win.  Now not only have I never even seen an orchestra, but I was also SUPER tired and nervous.  I started out okay saying things like Violin and Harp, but started freezing up and I kept accidentally repeating instruments she had already named or saying things like Guitar or Banjo.  I believe I even said American Horn after she said French Horn (hey, you never know).  Well apparently they found my answers really funny and thought I was such a good sport, that they decided to give me the tickets anyways... even though I lost!! They even played it on the radio two minutes later and made it sound like I didn't win them!  I was SO happy and drove up to Salt Lake that afternoon to pick up my tickets and guarded them with my life.

Now those of you that know me, know that I adore Taylor.  I don't know the exact reason.  Maybe it's because I'm a hopeless romantic and she writes a lot of love songs.  Maybe it's because I felt like I could relate to her first single "Tim McGraw" when I was 14 years old, and have felt the same with every song since.  Maybe it's because I admire how pure and modest she is, and has always been.  Whatever the reasons, I know just about every word to every song, and will love her forever.  

I am constantly teased by my love for her by my family and brothers-in-law, and constantly defend her.  In fact, my friends and family associate myself with her so much, that when my parents were driving back to California after dropping me off at BYU, my mom started to cry when she heard one of her songs at a gas station....  It's kind of pathetic.

Well, Saturday night finally came, and as usual, her concert BLEW ME AWAY.  It's no wonder she constantly wins Entertainer of the Year.

(I know what you're thinking... but no, I didn't take these photos.  We were seated to the left of the stage so the stage lights kept blurring all my pictures and iPhone cameras aren't that good)

It was SUCH a great concert!  I didn't want it to end!! 

And for all of those out there who think I'm extremely lucky and always win, (I won tickets to see Taylor Swift at the Ellen DeGeneres show last year), you wouldn't think that way if you saw just how many contests I actually enter...  Well worth the effort if you ask me!

This week I am grateful for:

Spinach:  I have a new found obsession with Spinach lately.  Whether it's in breakfast smoothies, on SLAB pizza, or used in place of lettuce in all my salads/sandwiches, it's very healthy and just makes me feel better throughout the day.  Plus, I find it delicious.

A Sweet Husband: Let's get real.  There are a LOT of husbands out there who wouldn't be caught dead at a Taylor Swift concert surrounded by 14,000 screaming girls, but Brooks went with me because that's just the kind of guy he is.

Good Friends: I don't start my externship until tomorrow, so all week I have had lots of free time and we've been having way too much fun with a few of our favorite married friends.  Going back to reality tomorrow will not be easy...

Nursery:  Although it's extremely tiring sometimes, and we get lots of poopy diapers and bawling kids, it has been SO fun and helps us look forward to church and to having kids of our own someday.

Okay guys, just 10 more days until Natalie gets home!!!!!!!!!!! I hope to see a lot of you in Loomis when we visit for her homecoming! 

Xoxo.

♥ Being Sick Can Be... Fun?

So the last few days I have felt  m i s e r a b l e. 

Contrary to most of your accusations and beliefs, NO I am not pregnant. (Sorry to let you down Lacy & Grandma.) Who would've thought one little Facebook status could cause so much speculation? I'll be more careful in the future.

Instead I had an awful flu that circulated around Brooks' family in AZ.

Not only did I throw up (multiple times) for the first time in over 13 years, but I also had a pounding headache, a raspy sore throat, a fever, and my body ached all over. 

Fun right?

Actually... it kind of was.

Well, not the being sick part.

Despite my nappy hair and sore neck from bending over the toilet, I was able to catch up on a lot of sleep, (I slept 13 straight hours Monday night... if that doesn't scream unhealthy I don't know what does), TV shows (Brooks and I watched the entire third season of 24...we're super productive I know), and with all my vomiting I lost a couple of pounds... not complaining. 

I was also able to do some good reading and played around with my blog a little bit in case you couldn't tell.

Anyways, I'm finally getting better, which is good because I'd probably go insane with cabin fever (Hereeeeee's Johnny!) if I had to lie on the couch one more day.

I do appreciate the calls and treats from those of you who were so sweet, even if it was just to find out if I was expecting or not (which just to clarify again, I'm not. My extra large box of Tampax Pearls can vouch for me). 

 Well anyways, this post was basically just to confirm that I had the flu and to quench the rumors, soooooo that's about all I got.  Oh and also, Natalie gets home in three weeks!  Let the countdown begin!

Xoxo.

♥ Arizona Wedding.

Brooks and I just got back from the most wonderful vacation in AZ for my sister-in-law Lauren's wedding!  The weather wasn't too hot and all of Brooks' aunts (my favorites) came to town, so it was a party.

The week went something like this:

Sunday- Brooks, Sonic and I flew to AZ on a tiny airline in Provo which flies straight to Mesa.  It wasn't exactly my favorite trip I've ever had...  First off, our flight was delayed an hour and all the seats in the waiting area were taken so we had to sit on a table.  Next, Brooks and I checked in kind of late for our flight and weren't able to sit next to each other because of it.  So Brooks was sandwiched in between two morbidly obese women in the front row, and let me tell ya, he got off easy.  I was able to enjoy some pleasant small talk with the women next to me about her multiple possessions by Satan.  Lucky me. Needless to say it was a less than lovely flight.  

So anyways, we finally made it to AZ and finished off Mother's Day by playing the Reynolds' favorite game called Celebrity.  It's kind of a version of charades but with a lot more to it and is so fun.  I was kind of rusty at it since it was my first time so I let my aunties down, sorry Ali & Juliette. We'll make up for it next time!

Monday-  We decided to lay out by the pool to get some color for the wedding.  We waded out into the pool and before we knew it Sonic decided to just jump right in!  Haha he was quite the sight, and we were able to snatch a few pics and a video.  He was doggy paddling like crazy, it was the cutest thing ever.  That night we headed over to Zack's house (Lauren's new husband) to set up some lights for the reception, and then just spent the night with family.  

 

Tuesday- Brooks and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary!! I seriously can't believe it's already been two years.  Part of me feels like it went by in the blink of an eye, and the other part feels like I've been with him forever.  Brooks surprised me in the morning by creeping out early to get me a gift card to Nordstrom, some Sunflowers (my favorite), and a cute Mickey & Minnie Mouse card in honor of our engagement in Disneyland so that was sweet, and I got him a Giants hat!  Haha I'm trying my best to convert him. We headed over to Tempe Town Lake and rented a pedal boat to take out on the lake!  It was really fun and cute of him. We grabbed lunch, went shopping, and got some yummy cupcakes!  It was a blast.  I really am the luckiest girl.  We came home and spend the evening with family for Lauren's first time going through the temple which was beautiful.  All in all a perfect day. 

Wednesday- Was Lauren and Zack's rehearsal dinner!  Everything looked beautiful and the food was fantastic (which is really all I cared about).  Brooks and his brother Garrett said some funny things, and there were also some sweet speeches and musical numbers.  Afterwards, Lauren's friend threw a bachelorette party so we went and had fun playing games such as "pin the torpedo on the sailor." It was a classy ending to a beautiful day.

 

Thursday- Was the wedding day.  It started off with a dramatic bang when we were all getting ready downstairs with Brooks' family when all of a sudden I hear Sonic yelp.  At first I just thought someone accidentally stepped on him, but he kept yelping and literally screaming and crying louder and louder and ran straight to me, and I heard his aunt yell the word "Scorpion."  Yes, poor Sonic noticed a little scorpion that sneaked into the house and sniffed it and it stung his poor nose.  It was THE SADDEST THING I have ever seen in my entire life, and I immediately began to cry because I thought he was going to die and he was in so much pain.  (Don't even bother teasing me for being a crazy dog lady, I'm more than aware.) We zipped him over to the animal hospital nearby and they said he should be okay, but it would irritate him for a while, and unless he had any weird reactions he would be fine.  H a l l e l u j a h.  So basically I hate scorpions now and will kill every last one of them to avenge Sonic.  

Anyways, we made it to the temple in time to see them get married which was beautiful.  I cried again, which is okay since I now have eyelash extensions and don't have to worry about mascara running down my face.  I'm thinking positively people. Anyways, Lauren's dress turned out beautifully and she and Zack were SO happy.  We arrived early to the reception for pictures and the rest of the night was just fun.  They had gelato, chocolate covered strawberries/cherries/pretzels and all sorts of amazing desserts (which we've already established is my favorite part) and the decor turned out amazing. It really was the perfect wedding!

Friday & Saturday- The last couple of days were spent cleaning up after the wedding, relaxing, and spending some quality time with Brooks' family that was in town.  I honestly love Brooks family, and cried when I had to say goodbye.  I wish we could just be on vacation forever.

 

So now we are home, back to reality doing laundry and unpacking.  Thanks for the fun Arizona, it was real.  

Xoxo.

♥ Grades, Games, & Gatsby.

School is finally out for this girl. 

I passed my "final clinical" on Tuesday using my dad as my patient again, (what a trooper, even if he was secretly listening to the Giants game through his bluetooth the entire time), and am now on the hunt for an externship! I'm excited to finally be able to put my skills and training to use and be able to work full time and provide for my family.  

Brooks and I celebrated by going up to his grandparents' summer home in Midway and spent the day playing tennis and relaxing.  I love Midway, and it's always a breath of fresh air compared to congested little Provo.  I can't think of a better way to spend a beautiful Spring day.

These past few months I have forced myself not to read a single book as I've been concentrating on school, and was stoked to finally get my hands on The Great Gatsby again in preparation for the midnight showing tonight!  I fell in love with it all over again and literally read it cover to cover in about 5 hours.... judge me.  (I have watched the trailers for the movie about 7163520 times so it's safe to say I'm a teensy bit excited.)

 For those of you who need a refresher.

Fact:

I am definitely a bookworm and am excited to spend my evenings relaxing with Harper Lee rather than my textbook.  However, I feel kind of out of the loop and would love some good recommendations for summer reads!  (But if anyone suggests Twilight....I may die.) I love all books and have read pretty much everything ranging from Nicholas Sparks to Victor Hugo to Stieg Larsson.  I also would love some good LDS literature to read if anyone has any good suggestions.

Well anyways, Brooks and I are excited to have a relaxing week in Arizona next week for my sister-in-law Lauren's wedding!  We haven't been to AZ in almost a year and a half so it's long overdue.  We're also excited to spend our 2nd anniversary together (Ummm what?!) and have fun with Brooks' family.  We're also open to suggestions of "musts" to do/see while in AZ, and have already made it a point to visit the Grand Canyon, (which I have never seen, shocker I know), Last Chance, (which is basically the Nordstrom Rack of Nordstrom Rack, if that makes sense at all) and Sprinkles in Scottsdale.  Needless to say we have an eventful week ahead of us.  

Oh and by the way, the Sprint that Brooks works at in Orem is hiring, and it's an awesome job and super flexible with school!  Let me know if you're interested.

This week I am grateful for:

Family Prayers: I love feeling support from all my family, especially in times when I need all the help I can get.

Law & Order: Not only has it brought Brooks and I closer together (literally, since I make him play with my hair while we watch) but it also has made me paranoid and helps me lock my doors, something I've always been bad at.  It's the little things.

Nursery: Even though we've only had this calling for a couple of weeks, I truly am grateful for it and how it helps me prepare and look forward to Sundays.  It's also fun to read "Mickey's Mouse's Picnic" 17 times in a row to adorable toddlers sitting on my lap.

Love you all.

Xoxo.

♥ Bye April.

Wow.  Am I the only one that feels like April seriously FLEW by?! I've been slacking.

Brooks and I have been crazy busy lately.  Brooks survived this semester/finals and is now on a nice little break from school while working.  I, on the other hand, still have two more weeks of school and I have some BIG finals and decisions coming up, and I seriously just can't wait for it to be over.

My job at the law office ended after a year by me being honest with my managers about my plans over summer and how I was going to have to quit in May, and them deciding to let me go early so they wouldn't have to keep paying me.  At first, I was really frustrated by it, feeling like I had worked hard for them for a year and mad that they couldn't give me the courtesy of staying just a couple more weeks after being so honest, but I decided to look at the bright side instead and use the time I had planned on working for studying/school assignments.  It ended up being a blessing in disguise because I honestly don't think I could've met my deadline if I hadn't been able to use the extra hours! (I'm finishing my program early so I can go to AZ for a wedding and start my internship soon after).  I have literally spent all day every day at school taking tests and studying, and needless to say I'm a little exhausted.  

Thankfully, I finished all my big tests and projects before this weekend while Brooks' family was in town for his brother Hunter's graduation.  We were able to relax and spend some time with them, which was a lot of fun.  Brooks and I also went to the Lagoon amusement park nearby for one of our dates as a way to celebrate the end of the school year.  It wasn't Disneyland, but hey, I'll take it.

 We're hoping after a busy and stressful month of April we will have a fun month of May, and are excited to begin it by being called as Nursery Leaders at our church!  Most people don't like the calling because it's basically babysitting the "terrible two" stage, but we honestly couldn't be more thrilled.  

Playtime and Snacks for two hours?  I'm down.

Hopefully it'll help prepare us for our own future monsters kids.

Anyways, I should probably start dinner.  I'm a whiz at making store-bought salad/orange chicken. 

Xoxo.

♥ National Grilled Cheese Day.

To celebrate this monumental holiday, Brooks and I put down our textbooks for an afternoon and played hooky. 

We started our afternoon off by grabbing some Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwiches at Zupas (of course), and then crossed the street to check Shopko and see if they had a kite for one of our "100 dates."  Neither of us had ever been in Shopko before, and we spent about an hour marveling over their ridiculously low prices and goofed off.

 After selecting the perfect kite, (We chose an airplane. It was either that or an Angry Birds head) we headed on over to the park, and "flew" our kite in the wonderful sunshine (and by that I mean we could only keep it in the air for about 3 seconds). Oh well it was still fun. Sonic loved rolling in the grass and chasing the missionaries walking to and from the temple.

It was a wonderful break from school (just a couple more weeks left!) and a tempting preview for summer.  Hope your National Grilled Cheese Day was filled with fun!

♥ Promote what you love.

"Our culture has accepted two huge lies.  The first is that if you disagree with someone's lifestyle, you must fear or hate them.  The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do.  Both are nonsense.  You don't have to compromise convictions to be compassionate."

 

There is a lot going on right now in our country politically, most of it very controversial. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has seen multiple changed profile pictures, Obamacare articles, and political rants.  I am a strong believer in using the social media for good, not just to post silly pictures or clever sayings, so I really respect it..... But there is a line that should be drawn.

In the past I've been very guilty of ranting/bashing on other political parties/ideologies, even when I haven't done very extensive research on the subject.  This is something I'm really trying to work on, and I'm genuinely sorry if I've offended anyone in the past.  However, this doesn't mean I won't post political statuses/articles/pictures, but will simply follow the ideology below.

I think it takes a lot of courage to stand up for what you believe in, especially in front of your friends.  I think shying away from anything controversial solely to "protect" others' feelings is an unhealthy behavior.  If someone is "offended" about a picture I post that is a positive and respectful stance on a controversial issue, then I don't consider them a true, mature friend.  We should be able to respect those around us, regardless of our beliefs.  That's what makes America so great.  We just need to choose to do it in a positive way, and hopefully shed some light for those who don't understand the issue fully. 

Another thing I'm really working on is to do my research.  Often times it's easy for me to listen to people I respect (such as my parents, friends, etc.) talk about their stance on an issue, and for me to instantly agree with them... even if I haven't done any research on the subject.  Nothing makes me feel smaller than when I'm in a heated, political discussion and realize halfway through that I have no idea what I'm talking about.  I'm sure I'm not the only one who is guilty of this, but I hope we can all try to really learn about each issue before jumping on the "bandwagon" and embarrassing ourselves.  That's one thing I've learned about and love about Brooks.  He won't ever fight/defend something until he truly knows what it is, and I have a huge respect for that.

Now, as I take a deep breath, I'm going to address a heated issue that has been incredibly difficult for me to find a stance on.  This would be gay marriage.  I am quite possibly the biggest romantic you will ever meet, and genuinely want everyone to be happy, ESPECIALLY in love.  However, I am also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  As most of you probably know, my church does not support gay marriage.  (This does not mean they hate gays, or want to discriminate in any way possible.)  I have really struggled with the church's stance on gay marriage, and have done a lot of praying on the matter.  My biggest question has always been why not?  Why don't they deserve to be happy and be with the one they love?  Why do I have to choose a stance on this?  Why did I have to fight against Prop. 8?  After lots of praying and research, I ultimately decided that if I was going to accept the gospel, I needed to accept all of it.  You can't simply pick and choose things you want to believe in.  The biggest realization for me was that our time here on earth is so small compared to our eternal lives.  We were in the Preexistence before this, and will return to live with our Heavenly Father after our time here.  Heavenly Father loves EVERYONE, and wants us all to be happy, which is WHY we don't support gay marriage.  I have such a strong testimony that Heavenly Father cares for each and every one of us, and has a plan for us, and He is the only one who knows why everything is the way it is.  He created us and designed us all to become families, which can only happen between a man and a woman.  

 

"We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.

All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose."

I know my stance on this will upset a lot of people I care about.  I truly hope you all know that I wouldn't post something like this if I didn't believe it with all my heart.  I know that God has a plan for each and every one of us, but his plans do not include gay marriage.  I hope you can click on my "I'm a Mormon" icon on the top right side of my page and learn more about my church, and understand where I'm coming from, rather than making a harsh judgment. 

I love you all and have such a big testimony of God and His commandments for all of us.  I understand if this upsets you or if you choose to unfriend/follow me.  I really hope you can feel how genuine I am being and how hard I'm trying to follow my heart and be respectful.

I'm so grateful for the people I have in my life, and for the strength and guidance I receive from my Heavenly Father. 

I'm grateful for the power of social media and how easy it can be to share our deepest beliefs with the click of a button.

I'm grateful for my friends, especially ones who have different beliefs.  I really learn a lot from them and although I may disapprove of their choices, I really admire them and value their friendship.  

I'm grateful for my friends who are homosexual, and for their support as I write this blog post.  They are some of the strongest people I know, and I hope they know how much I love them and how much God loves them.

Xoxo.

♥ March Madness.

Can you believe it's almost April?  March sure has treated us well.

We've continued to survive school, keep up with our dating resolution, and celebrate Brooks' birthday!  One thing Brooks has been wanting for a while was a good bike, one he could ride to school and use for exercise, so for his birthday he got a beautiful black and red road/mountain hybrid and he was stoked. (Maybe I'll treat myself to one for my birthday in August so I can join him!)

He was so excited, he went to pick up the bike while I was still at work and sent me a picture.  Once it gets warmer we'll get one with him actually on it... Come on Utah.

Brooks' Birthday in Salt Lake.

This weekend, my parents, grandparents, and little brother came for a visit to good ole freezing Utah, and we had a blast. My grandparents were in town for a Family History seminar in Salt Lake (how cute are they?) and so my mom and brother decided to make an appearance to check the progress on the house and spend some much needed shopping quality time with us!

My mom and Stephen drove in at about 5 PM on Friday and met us in Daybreak at their new house.  They've only just begun the building process, but it was still fun to see it all dug out and the basement walls set up.  We headed straight over to one of our new favorite sushi joints "Blue Fish" which is right across the street from the new house, and I must say it had some of the best and freshest sushi I've had here in Utah. We then headed over to Salt Lake to see the greatest sister missionary, (who was just made Assistant by the way, whatta stud), for her birthday!  She is seriously doing amazing, and looks SO happy and full of the spirit.  It'll probably be the last time we see her before she comes home..... then again who knows, it's always tempting to pop over onto Temple Square for a quick visit.  Hey, you would too if you lived as close as I do.

In the making!

NATALIE.

 Cutest reunion ever.

So Saturday morning we woke up to SNOW EVEN THOUGH IT IS SPRING.  WHAT'S UP WITH THAT. Apparently Spring is the exact same thing as Winter here.  So anyways, my mom and I took a detour somehow on the way to the gym and stopped at our favorite place in the world: Costco.  I had been dying because both of our blenders had broken (they were reallllyyyy cheap) and I really wanted to start being healthier and hop onto the smoothies bandwagon, so with the help of my mom's input, (she is by far the best cook I know, and knows all of the greatest products), Brooks and I got our very own Blendtec!!  I was STOKED because I had just read all about the Blendtec in my friend Kaytee's adorable blog and was jealous of all the fun recipes she was able to make with it!  We then proceeded to buy tons of healthy groceries including kale, spinach, blueberries, strawberries, tomatoes, pineapple, etc. and had a quickie workout before we hurried home to make a new smoothie.  Let me tell ya, this blender is amazing.  I'm super picky and weird when it comes to textures, but this thing seriously makes everything so consistent and smooth, it's amazing.  You can make anything in it from smoothies to soups to waffle batter.  It also came with a cookbook with tons of delicious recipes which I'm so excited to try!  (Although I'll probably just copy all of Kaytee's recipes that she posts on her blog) It's the greatest, and SO easy to use for the technologically challenged like me.  Pricey, but worth it if you'll really use it.

After we enjoyed some delicious smoothies, we headed back to Daybreak to meet up with my favorites, good ole Gordon and Janet, the greatest grandparents you'll ever find.  Not only does my grandma keep up with my blog, Facebook, and Instagram account, but she also finds time to do tons of genealogy work for our church, and my grandpa is just about the funniest, nicest guy you'll ever meet.  I love them.  We showed them the new house, and fed the geese/ducks at the Marina right in front of my parents' house!  It is seriously so cute and quaint, and right down the street from the gorgeous Oquirrh Mountain temple.  They are going to live at a perfect location... well, perfect for Utah.  We will still severely miss California. After being chased by an evil goose for about 10 minutes, we got some lunch at the cutest cafe right by my parents' house called Cafe Bella Rue, which has the best Sweet Red Pepper Gouda soup, (something I will for sure be making in our blendtec), gelato, and sweet potato fries.  Seriously, if you ever make it to South Jordan you have got to make a stop there, it's the cutest.  After lunch we came back home and watched Wipeout.  I can't decide if watching the actual show, or watching my grandpa die laughing at the show was more entertaining.  No, it was definitely the latter.  He's a hoot.  He was even more entertaining while watching the Gonzaga game... he is constantly complimenting the players on their moves and exclaiming with excitement after every basket.  Love him like crazy.

Seriously, how cute is this marina?  It's right in front of their house and has docks to take paddle boats out on in the summer.  So charming.

Before a crazy goose chased me up a hill... and yes, now I understand the phrase "wild goose chase." It's real people.

Sunday was spent attending church and making a delicious dinner.... and more smoothies.  Can't get enough.  Our cousins Ariah and Danny came over, along with Danny's wife Jessica and their adorable baby William!  We had fun watching Sonic obsess over the baby and his cute baby smell.  Someday, (still far, far away...) he will be a cute little guardian over our own cute babe.  It was fun to catch up with them, even though I was multitasking by doing homework at the same time.  

 William LOVED Sonic.

Unfortunately, every fun weekend has to end.  We're sad that my grandparents are leaving, but thankfully my mom best friend is in town for a few more days!  She's brave enough to come be my "patient" at school on Tuesday, where I'll be perfecting my IV's on her.  What a sport.  

I love my family, and it was so fun having them around.  Crazy to think that in a few months they will be up here permanently!  Love them like crazy.  Also, I'll try to fulfill my mormon/wifely duty and post a fun recipe or two that I like with my new Blendtec!  

Xoxo.