♥ 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.

♥ Eight legged freaks.

I have a fear.

It can control all of my emotions and bodily functions, and haunts me in my dreams.

I am deathly afraid of spiders. 

Scorpions, snakes, frogs, rats, bears, even ghosts. . . none of these phase me.  I can squash a bug without thinking twice, and catch a lizard with no reservations.  When I see a spider however... my stomach tightens into a knot and suffocates me until I can't breathe.  I take quick, rapid breaths and my eyes fill up with tears.  I feel a tingling sensation over my entire body as I have hallucinations of spiders running up and down my arms and legs.  I scream for help and run to high ground while wringing my hands until they turn white.  I. Hate. Spiders.

As the weather is starting to warm up, everyone around me is celebrating and enjoying time outdoors.  I, meanwhile, know that this is the time of year spiders come out and begin a war of self defense with the strongest bug spray money can buy.  

Brooks has been woken up several times to my violent thrashing in the middle of the night during one of my regular spider nightmares. You know, the ones where you are trapped in a closet, tied up, on the floor, with thousands of spiders crawling all over you.

While trying to pinpoint the exact reason as to why I am so deathly afraid of these monsters, I guess it would have to be the eight legs. . . . And the eight eyes. . .  And how fast they run. . .  And how they suddenly appear out of nowhere. . . And how hard they are to kill.

Spiders can sense fear.  I know this, because while all of my family has rarely had close encounters with them, I have had several.  They know.

Let's take a trip down memory lane, starting at the very beginning of my phobia.

1. The time in the doghouse.  When I was about four or five years old, I climbed into my dog's doghouse to get some quality snuggles in with my pooch (not much has changed huh?).  I dozed off, only to be awoken to SEVERAL daddy longlegs (also known as Opiliones, shown here) all over my tiny body.  I ran as fast as my stubby legs would let me and jumped into our pool (don't worry, I'm a Californian.  I've been swimming since I was two).  Quite the traumatic experience.

2. The time in the swimming pool.  Fast forward to nine years old, I was swimming in our pool, minding my own business.  As I stood on our step near the waterfall, singing along to my girl Avril, a GIANT WOLF SPIDER JUMPED ONTO MY FACE.  I kid you not, these spiders can jump, and it jumped and clung with surprising force to my eyebrow.  I fell backwards into the water screaming and thrashing to get it off of my face. 

3. The time in my bed.  Now, as I was getting ready for bed, performing my routinely spider check under my covers, I decided the coast was clear and laid down with my eyes closed, only to open them to a Black Widow dangling on its web just a few inches above my face.

These are just a few experiences I have had with these devils, excluding the time I saw one in the bathroom and hit my head so hard on the wall I nearly got a concussion, or when a spider was stuck in my swimsuit, or when a spider chased me in the water at Girl's Camp, or all the fun experiences when I've been trapped in my car on the freeway with a spider on the steering wheel.  They ONLY EVER come into my room, or my car, or hide in my clothing.  They never bother others that I'm living with.  They are hunting me and they won't stop until I'm dead.

So anyways, the point of this blog is that if you ever get a random phone call from me screaming/hyperventilating/sobbing that there is a spider in my house and that Brooks is at work and can't kill it, then please do me a favor, and come over as quickly as you can.  I'll make you cookies.

Xoxo.

♥ The Best Nights.

 "The best nights are usually unplanned, random, and spontaneous."

With all that's going on in our lives right now, Brooks and I have learned to really appreciate those nights.

Finding time between chaotic school schedules, work shifts, and church responsibilities has proven to be harder than we thought, and we're both counting the days until May 10th,  (my last day of work), and to finish our school semesters.  Over summer our schedules will be MUCH more relaxed, as I enroll in my externship and Brooks applies for grad school.  

These last few years have definitely felt like an emotional roller coaster as far as school goes.  When I married Brooks, he was close to graduating with an Exercise Science degree and preparing to go onto medical school.  I was still having struggles choosing a major, and decided to go to the temple and pray about it.  While in the temple, I felt very strongly that I was not supposed to graduate B.Y.U.  What??? I was so confused by this answer, because not only was it so strong and so unexpected, but it completely threw me for a loop.  I had ALWAYS planned on graduating B.Y.U, and had no idea what to do next. So, I decided to take a year off and work while exploring my options. Now, I've always wanted to be a mom. When teachers would ask me in grade school what I wanted to be when I grew up, I'd always reply with (or draw a picture, as this was in first grade) "I want to be like my mom."  Now, (I start my sentances with "now" a lot, I know), my mom always worked, but it was never full time, and she was still home with us a lot.  I've always wanted something similar.  I think I'd go too stir crazy staying cooped up in a house ALL day every day, so I've always seen myself working, just not having a "career." I have a passion for life, friends, fun, and food, but not for working, so I never dreamed about having a big career.  As I was trying to decide what to do, I wrote down a list of some necessities I wanted in a job.  

1. I wanted to be qualified for something.  I didn't want to lose a job and have to start over from scratch again.  

2. I wanted a job with good benefits, such as health and dental care.

3. I wanted a job with a consistent schedule, where I could have holidays and nights to be home with my family.

4. I wanted a job where I could be nice to people.  I didn't want sales, or anything to do with yelling at people/having them yell at me all the time (although I know that happens occasionally in most jobs, which I'm okay with, just not an everyday thing).

5. I wanted a job I (drum roll please. . .) actually liked.  Since the time I was 14, I have worked as a piano teacher, house cleaner, hostess at a restaurant, clothing store associate, yogurt shop cashier, lifeguard, insurance salesman, and am currently a data entry at a law office.  I've obviously gotten a pretty good idea of jobs I do like and jobs I don't like.  I loved the busy, people friendly aspect of working in a restaurant, and I like the office atmosphere of my current job, so I wanted to see if I could find something that combined the two.  So I thought about jobs in an office setting where I could still feel busy running around the office, and that weren't just being confined to a desk.  That's when I remembered talking with the MA at my Dermatologist's office a few years back, (don't worry, it was just athlete's foot, I don't have some weird flesh-eating disease, although athlete's foot sure felt like it at times), and having her tell me about how much she loved her job.  I decided to look into some schools in Utah county that offered MA programs, and found one I loved, talked to the teacher, took the necessary preparations, and got enrolled soon after!  It is still kind of crazy to me to think about what I would be doing at B.Y.U, but I'm really grateful for this program and for the chance to have a job that not only will I thoroughly enjoy, but that I can have while still being what I want to be the most: a mom.   

Meanwhile, when I was going through all this craziness in my life, Brooks had been having a really tough time. He had planned on going to Medical school, but upon taking the required courses, he realized how much he did not like medicine.  He found it interesting, sure, but not his choice for a career, and he definitely didn't want to spend the rest of his life doing something he didn't love.  He, like me, went to the temple praying for guidance, and, like me, received an answer saying to "stop." He had no idea where to go from there, and was worried about disappointing me, (um yeah, like that's even a possibility), so he tried to ignore it and kept pushing through school.  Well, eventually, he couldn't ignore it any longer, and came clean to me.  I, of course, was worried he was just having doubts about medical school, and hoped it wasn't the case, but upon praying and pondering I felt the same thing.  I want more than anything for Brooks to be happy, and if being a doctor wouldn't do that for him, then I absolutely didn't want him to do it.  However, this meant adding more years onto his school, and taking a lot more classes, so it was definitely discouraging for the both of us.  Thankfully, Brooks had faith in the Lord, and I had faith in him to make the right decision.  So, after taking some personality tests, talking to counselors, and doing some research, Brooks made his decision and is going into Business, possibly internationally.  He already speaks Spanish fluently, and really wants to learn French so that he will know 3 European languages, but he still may choose to just work within the U.S. as well. We both feel really good about it, and are looking forward to next April when Brooks will OFFICIALLY be done with B.Y.U.

So, school's crazy.  Life's crazy.  But even though most nights consist of staying up till 3 a.m. studying, snacking on popcorn and caffeine, randomly going for a midnight walk and laughing uncontrollably due to exhaustion, I consider these the "best nights," because they are spent with my best friend.  They may not always be glamorous, but we still just love to be together.

Things I'm thankful for:

1. Microwave popcorn:  It's the perfect midnight snack to help you stay awake, but doesn't make you feel like puking after going to bed.  Also, it's cheap.

2. The temple:  Being able to seek guidance and feel Heavenly Father's spirit so strongly has brought us so much peace, and helped us through a lot of trials.  I love going to the temple.

3. This blog:  I know it's not very exciting.  I'm not a fashionista, exceptional writer, or cute mom, nor do I have millions of readers, but I love having this outlet and being able to keep my friends and family updated with our lives. Also, it's a good excuse to procrastinate.

4. Our 100 Dates: Being as busy as we are, it is really hard to find time together, so planning our schedules out special to squeeze in our dates really helps us make the time, and not spend every Saturday night crashing at home watching a movie. (Feel free to click on my Instagram emoticon on the right hand side of the page to check out all of our dates if you don't currently have Instagram).

5. THE WEATHER:  I feel like my mood is instantly better when my toes don't feel like they're about to fall off, and I'm not freezing constantly.  Utah definitely took its time, but Spring's acomin'. 

As you can tell, we immediately took advantage of the flip-flop weather. Love my two boys.

Xoxo. 

♥ 7 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Got Married.

Before I got married, I received tons of advice from family, friends, articles, etc.  which I still appreciate to this day, and it has all really helped me improve our marriage. Some of my favorites have been "Always remember to dance in the kitchen," "Never talk bad about each other," and "I love yous and thank yous lead you to forever."

However, there were some things I was not prepared for or expecting, and since I've been married for almost 2 years now (2 years!!) and I'm such a master on the subject, (not), I thought I'd share what I've learned with my single ladies/engaged friends. Remember, this is regarding marriage without children, I have no idea what our marriage will be like once we have some crazy miniature Reynolds running around.

 

1. Husbands need flowers too. Growing up girls are always expecting to be showered with gifts and love on Valentine's Day, Anniversaries, Birthdays, etc. and are never really taught that men deserve some special love too.  We are bombarded with phrases such as "Happy wife, happy life," yet our husband's don't get the same treatment.  I remember on our first Valentine's together as a married couple, Brooks went all out for me, and made me feel so special, and when it came time to show him what I got him. . . it was a last minute Hallmark card.  Nothing handmade or special, just something I had gotten the night before.  I. Felt. Awful.  Even though he tried to hide it, I could tell he was disappointed.  I'm really not good at giving gifts/planning but I have made a MUCH bigger effort to show him that I appreciate him as much as he appreciates me.

2. DO sweat the small stuff. Moving in with someone is definitely a HUGE adjustment.  You have to work out new routines, habits, and plans.  Now, everyone has quirks.  Whether it's always turning off the lights before you leave the house, using Chip Clips on snack bags, or in Brooks' case, folding your t-shirts, everyone has small, unimportant preferences that for whatever reason, are important to them.  So, rather than fighting over small things that aren't worth it, take the extra second or two to help out your partner by doing the small things that matter to them. It's amazing how much it will help your relationship and limit resentment towards each other. So basically, be a good roommate.

3. Talk about finances. I don't know what it is about money, but it is so. . . awkward. It's one of those things that is a necessity, yet can make people so uncomfortable.  Now, everyone is completely different in how they handle finances with their spouse, and I honestly don't believe there is just one right way.  I think it depends completely on the personalities of each partner, and what feels most comfortable for them.  However, not talking about it is never a good idea, because that can lead to accusations about lying, sneaking, irresponsibility, etc. So, after getting married, (or before would even be better), sit down with your partner and figure it out. Plan out exactly how you want to go about it, when it's okay to spend money on "fun" things, and how to manage your money.  Make sure you both feel equal and important, even if one of you is making more than the other.

4. Pick your poison. My mom always taught me that what you start in a marriage, you finish in a marriage, so make sure you're happy now, because if you're not, you definitely won't be later.  Everyone has their preferences of chores they don't mind and chores they hate. For example, I love doing the laundry.  I don't know why, but I always have, and it's something I get satisfaction out of.  On the other hand, I hate cleaning bathtubs/showers.  I will gladly clean the toilet, sink, floor, mirrors, etc. as long as I don't have to climb into the tub and do some scrubbing.  So, Brooks and I wrote out all the chores that needed to be done, and divided and conquered.  One such example would be on Sundays, where I make the dinner, and Brooks' cleans up afterwards.  It works out well for the both of us, and splits up the responsibility. As long as you are both clear about the responsibilities you are given, and willing to do them for your partner, it should work out great.

5. Men smell. . . bad. It's kind of appalling.  Their laundry, bathroom visits, workouts. . . everything is more than it is for a girl.  So, make sure you are always stocked up on a nice box of matches in the bathroom, laundry detergent (and doing laundry often), and candles to make it still smell fresh. Don't be afraid to set some ground rules as well. For example, when Brooks has to do his "business" while I'm home, he is banished to the guest bathroom, not ours where I have to simultaneously plug my nose and brush my teeth. And ladies, if you smell too, be courteous to your husband and do the same.

6. Choose your battles. Everyone has bad days.  I read a fantastic article a while back about how marriage is for "losers." Rather than constantly trying to "win" an argument, recognize when your partner is just having a bad day, or is stressed, and let them "win," even if they're wrong. Brooks has learned that there are a few days each month when I am more emotional than normal, and he's learned that rather than being annoyed at my sulking, to just let me watch a sad movie, cuddle me and let me cry a little bit.  I don't deserve that, and I have no concrete reason to be sad, but I need it.  I've also learned that Brooks gets stressed each month when bills are due, even when there's no need to be.  Rather than getting frustrated with his shortness and obvious stress, I've learned to just let him work it out, give him a few sweet kisses, and do something nice for him (i.e. make the bed, cook dinner, etc.).  Not only does this make him happier, but it makes me happier as well by doing service for him, and avoiding an argument. The best piece of advice I could give anyone would be this: "It's better to have your spouse be happy, than for you to be right."

7. Life is hard, not marriage. A few people warned me before getting married that it was really hard, and that I should wait and enjoy being single.  I disagree.  Being married isn't hard.  You get to live with your very best friend, and have their constant support and companionship every day.  Life, however, is hard. Working, going to school, finances, etc. can all be extremely trying and stressful.  It's important to separate the two.  Before coming home, let all your worldly troubles go, and remember how madly in love you really are.  Don't take it out on each other. Remember how much harder it would be without him, and don't take him for granted.  Avoid the mindset that being married to is so hard, and replace it with a positive mindset of how lucky you are to have found your soul mate.  

  

Well that's all I've got.  I'm sure I'll have a year long list once we have kids, but I'm so grateful we're figuring these things out before we take the parental plunge.  

I love learning from my friends, so I'm inviting all my married friends, young and old, kids or no kids, to add to my list in your comments!  Let me know what you have learned, that you weren't prepared for/expecting. I'd love to hear from you!

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person."

Xoxo.

♥ Love & Blogs.

I am in love with love.  

I love seeing the transformation in a person that starts with being single to falling in love.  They just seem to radiate happiness and are always smiling.

Brooks' sister Lauren got engaged last night to the love of her life Zack, and we couldn't be happier.  They make each other so happy and it'll be so fun to have more married siblings.

Cutest couple award.

 We are all counting the days until May 16th to see these two tie the knot!

So now onto my topic of the day: blogs.

I love blogs.  I love writing and reading what others have wrote.  I love how personal blogs can be and how helpful they are with DIYs, Marriage, Kids, etc.  I also love the blogging "network" you can become a part of.  It's like an elite club between bloggers where you have a connection and all become friends via internet. It also helps me try to be more interesting rather than blogging the same old boring update every time (i.e. most of my posts).

My good friend Sarah who is an unreal artist has an adorable blog and she challenged some fellow bloggers to do the oh so popular "5 things" trend that originated on Instagram, and post it on their blog.  Our mutual blogging friend Jamey (who is also an amazing blogger) did her "5 things" and challenged all of her friends to do so and then post the link onto her blog. Soooo basically I'm being pressured into it so I can be as cool and creative as they are, but since I already did my "5 things" on Instagram and don't want to be completely boring I'm doing one for my homeboy too.

C H R I S T I E

1. I'm terrible at geography. I didn't realize Washington D.C. wasn't in the state of Washington until I was 17, and if I were stranded on a small island with nothing but a map I would most likely die.
2.  My biggest pet peeve is when people scrape their teeth on their forks while eating. I literally cringe and have to hum to myself or talk really loud to avoid hearing the most wretched sound on this earth, which is also bad for your teeth and terrible manners and I just absolutely hate it more than anything and gahhhhhhhh.
3. I love animals. When I was a little girl all I wanted to be was a Vet, until I realized I'd have to put animals to sleep.  I pull over for EVERY stray animal I see and call the owner's # on their collar, and wait for them to pick them up and/or take them home with me. This probably sheds some light for some of you as to why I'm obsessed with my dog.
4. I'm a closet bookworm, and have been ever since I was a little girl.  I used to get in trouble for staying up too late reading books under my covers with a flashlight, and was teased a lot in grade school for always winning the "best reader" awards. I also am a loyal member of the Provo City Library and have my library card on my key ring.
5. I'm kinda sorta an emotional wreck.  I cry in just about every movie I watch and book I read, and whenever I see someone cry... I cry for them.  I'm just extremely empathetic and feel for people very easily.  My period may or may not have something to do with it as well.

B R O O K S 

He's so cute.... gush.

1. Brooks hates gum.  He refuses to chew it, and seeing it on the street or underneath desks/shoes grosses him out.  He's definitely a "Listerine & Breath mints" kind of a guy. 
2. Brooks is definitely a closet nerd. He loves anything that has to do with LOTR, Xbox, and any sort of sci-fi book/movie/game. We are always seeing the midnight showing of some new movie in his favorite franchise, including midnight releases of his favorite new video games. Seriously.
3. Brooks is very OCD about certain things, mainly his possessions.  He always folds his t-shirts rather than hanging them so we won't stretch the necks out, he keeps his wallet/keys in the same place every day, and can't stand any sort of clutter/clothes lying around.
4. Brooks is addicted to Diet Coke.  He makes excuses to go out of his way and stop at a gas station, just so he can get a coke.  He even asked for it for his birthday this weekend.
5. Brooks has the loudest/funniest/most infectious laugh while watching tv/movies.  You can always hear him no matter what room of the house you are in, and people always turn around in movie theaters. 

Well there you have it.  We're definitely both odd, but somehow still love each other!

I now challenge all my many followers (s a r c a s m) to post five things about yourself others may or may not know!

Love you all.... (mom and grandma)

Xoxo.