A Parking Fiasco

What is this? Two posts in one week? I'm either avoiding homework or just really excited about the parking ticket I got yesterday... So yesterday was kind of a poopy day, for whatever reason I just was not having it, any of it- what "it" is I'm not sure, I'll leave that up to your own interpretation. It was rainy, I was hungry and tired (we all know this is a lethal combination).Any who, I needed to run up on campus to buy something in the book store, so I made Joe come and accompany me (ever since we've been engaged I haven't been able to do anything by myself, well not much has changed I was like that when I wasn't engaged, it has just gotten worse ha)  

Rexburg has gotten crazy with its parking and you have to have a permit to do just about anything in this town, I have a city parking permit which means I can park anywhere on the street...or so I thought. It's great I love my parking permit, no more walking to class up the dreaded hill the Taylor building (you know you hate that hill). Well, Joe and I drove up found a premo parking spot on the street outside of the Taylor and ran into the bookstore, much to my dismay they had already closed. We ran into a few of his mission friends and chatted with them for about 10 minutes. We walked back out to my car and wabam! Perfectly tucked behind my windshield wiper and sealed with no love in a rain resistant baggy was a lime green parking ticket! Apparently, that street is considered campus parking and I had the wrong permit, give me a break! To add insult to injury I received a confirmation email later that night notifying me that I had gotten a parking ticket and that I need to observe the signs more carefully, no kidding! I have gotten away with parking on campus all day without a permit for years now, and the one time I go in for 10 minutes I get a pretty little ticket. Some might call that karma, I call it unfair! It was the cherry on top of my poopy day, I may or may not have caused a scene in front of a few students that thought my tantrum was interesting enough to stop and stare.

This morning after my dance classes I had time to run out to my car to put my dance clothes away so I don't have to carry them around all day.  As I approach my car I see this on my windshield and automatically a zesty pep is added to my step, and I start thinking of how big my tantrum is going to be if it's another parking ticket.

Obviously, the closer I got I quickly realized it was a fake ticket from no one other than Joe! He apparently had time this morning before work to find my car and write out a little love note that totally made my day so much brighter. 

Joe thinks it's really funny to write random guys names on notes he writes me, it throws me off every time haha, don't worry no one by the name of Randy is leaving sweet nothings on my car. Joe always knows how to make me smile and I am so lucky to have someone as great as him! :) 

One Year of Love

I have been a horrible blogger lately, and I really don't have any good excuse except that I have been ridiculously lazy and tired. Even though I have been home from tour for three weeks I still blame Texas for making me completely exhausted. There have been so many things that I need to blog about, but the thought of remembering all that has happened and writing it down is way too daunting so I will just fill you in on the most recent adventure Joe and I went on. (hopefully, I'll fill in the gaps sometime...) 

On April 25th we celebrated our one year anniversary! I am really bad at remembering dates so I was quite proud that I remembered this! (Joe is great at remembering all the things I forget and sometimes gets upset when I don't remember important dates...whoops)

Joe and I decided to do something for our anniversary the following weekend and just have dinner together the night of the 25th. I decided to put my "domestic wife skills" to the test and cook a dinner out of the ordinary! (we have perfected chicken alfredo, hamburgers, tacos, and salads...it is time to venture out of my comfort zone and try something new!) I called my mom the night before in a panic about what to cook. My mom is an incredible cook and can blow anyone's taste buds out of the water, so I knew I was in good hands. She rattled off a few recipes that were basically Iron Chef America worthy and I got increasingly more worried until she said I should make Salmon. I laughed a little thinking, "Salmon? Really, Mom? You think I can make Salmon?" Surprisingly, it was a lot easier than I thought, and I busted out a pineapple and maple glazed salmon and rice pilaf accompanied with a nice green salad and freshly dipped chocolate covered strawberries for dessert made with love by yours truly. 

 I'm disappointed I didn't take any pictures, but you can rest assured that dinner was hit! I was so proud of myself for making a real meal all by myself without any help from Joe! :) 

Fast forward to Friday April 29th...Joe gave me strict instructions to pack for a weekend away and to be ready at 3:30 sharp! I'm out of class at 3:00 so I was a little concerned with how I was going to pull it off, but somehow I managed and was only 5 minutes late.(this is huge people!) I had no idea what he had up his sleeve, all I knew is that we were heading to Utah. I slept for a little bit (Joe will argue that I slept for hours, but really I didn't it was more like 45 minutes). We pulled up to his friend Zack and his wife Hilary's house. Zack is one of Joe's old mission companions so it's always fun for them to get together and reminisce on good 'ol mission days.  We had dinner with them and then we were whisked away for a fun filled night of go karts, bowling, and a lot of laughs. We had a blast racing and trying to spin each other out. We got in trouble quite frequently, definitely put their little whistles to good use! All of the kids working there were in high school and definitely power hungry.

Zack and Hilary 

It was so cold that night!

 After we were frozen stiff, we went inside and played a few arcade games.  It was so much fun to run around and be a kid again, competing to see who could win the most tickets was my favorite- I actually beat Joe at a game! That happens very rarely... After we were done at Boondocks, Zack and Joe had a guys night and hung out in Zack's "man cave" while me and Hilary stayed up gabbing and talking about anything and everything! It was so much fun, Hilary is so sweet and had some really insightful marriage advice for me. Her and Zack were Married in August of 2009 so she had some great input and helpful hints for me. It was getting late and Hilary and I were so tired and the boys showed no signs of settling down, we were tempted to lock the door to their bedroom and fall asleep leaving them to sleep on the couch. Don't worry we weren't that mean :) 

I was nervous for Saturday, if you some how forgot, April 30th was the date Joe and I were supposed to get married so it was a bittersweet day. As we ventured out for the days surprises and festivities we were greeted with a gloomy, snowy, and frigid cold day! I couldn't have been happier to see snow! Joe said he was hoping and praying that the day turned out crappy, in hopes of avoiding a mega meltdown on my end.  

Our first stop of the day was Temple Square! The thing I love most about Joe is that he can make any situation completely hilarious and entertaining. We all have been to Temple Square a million times, but with Joe it is so exciting and so much fun. 

Lost in the parking garage

I don't think I've ever seen him walk down stairs

 We walked around the temple grounds and went inside the visitors center in hopes of finding my favorite Sister Missionary, Sister Hardy but no such luck. I asked around to see if any of the sisters knew where she was, and they all raved about how great she is and how she is all over the place, definitely no surprises there! :) I enjoyed watching the brides flood the temple grounds almost as if they were fighting for the best picture spot. All I could do was think how happy I was to not be in a wedding dress in the freezing cold that day. Don't get me wrong, I want nothing more than to marry Joe, I am just glad it'll be warmer when we finally get married! 

We played around in Salt Lake spending some time at the Gateway, of course we made a stop at the Apple store, Joe is obsessed with all things Apple and wants nothing more than to have an ipad. We had dinner reservations at a Brazilian steak house called Rodizio Grill. I was so excited because I have never been to a Brazilian steak house before, my Dad rants and raves about how amazing they are so I was super excited! We were seated and the feast began immediately with deep fried banana's glazed with a crunchy sugar coating, they were heavenly! They had an amazing salad bar, my favorite was the coconut pineapple coleslaw! 

If you've never been to a Brazilian steak house I'll explain how it works: You're given this little wooden token with one side painted green and the other side painted red.  When you're ready for the meat you flip your token over to the green side, and you are instantly flooded by men with huge pieces of pork, chicken, and beef on skewers eager to serve you.  The slice off a little piece of meat with their massive knives and you grab it with tongs and gobble it up and wait for the next man to bring you something different. Things can get a little crazy, because before your eyes your plate is getting filled with a wide assortment of meat and other goodies. You can't blink without having another guy at your table offering you savory items. We ate so much that we both had to loosen our belts haha embarrassing, I know. My favorite was the grilled pineapple that they brought around, so yummy! 

Happy and full :)

  Our weekend away to celebrate our one year anniversary was so much fun! I love being able to get away and not have to worry about school and enjoy one on one time with the man I love! Just a little side note, we get married in 136 days! YAY! :)

Just A Moment, Please

I just want to take a moment and brag about Joe :) If you have a weak stomach or aren't a fan of bragging, don't read any further! The last few weeks I have been overwhelmed to the max with finals, projects, papers, and everything else teachers love to pile on the last two weeks of class. Just my luck,in the midst of making hundreds of flashcards, editing final drafts of papers, and wanting to stab my eyeballs out over Kinesiology, I got horribly sick. Confession time: I am not one to suck it up and get over it quickly or quietly. I am a full on baby about it. In hopes of justifying my ridiculous behavior let me ask you this: how would you feel if you had tonsillitis the week before finals and two weeks before you leave for tour with your dance company to Texas? S.T.R.E.S.S.E.D. 

Partially justified, right?

Of course, Joe had been sick the week before as well, but handled it like a champ.  We have seen each other through pretty much everything, being sick was not one of those. Anyone who knows me and has seen me sick is probably thinking, "Wow, he is still going to marry her?" Yeah, I was surprised too. He was so amazing and patient with me every time I'd cry or complain (which was a lot of the time) He made sure I went to bed early and was taking my medicine at the right times and would call every chance he could at work to make sure I was doing okay.  These may seem silly and mundane to some of you reading, but it wasn't what Joe did it was how he did it.  It was all out of complete love and consideration for me.  Even though he was still just as sick as I was, he made sure I was comfortable first and had everything I needed or wanted.  He could have just said, "Well I'm sick too, I can't take care of you" he made sure to do everything he could to make me happy, which is quite the task when I'm sick. It might sound weird, but I fell more in love with Joe during that time. Seeing him be as selfless as possible was so amazing, he is definitely an example to me of everything I need to improve on!

It's not like I'm counting or anything, but 168 days until we get married! Woot woot! :)

 

Our Weekend Away

Last weekend Joe and I were able to go see his family in Bozeman, Montana!  His parents live in Coeur d' Alene along with his oldest brother Jake,his wife Kim and their adorable little boy Mason.  His other brother, Bryan and his wife Nicole and their four ridiculously cute girls live in Billings, Montana and were able to come down to Bozeman to be with the family for a fun filled weekend! I love Joe's family, everyone is hilarious and easy going.  I have only met his family three times and I already feel right at home with them!  We stayed at a cute hotel called the C'mon Inn, catchy huh? 

 

 

The inside of the hotel

 

 We had a blast swimming, hot tubbing, and eating way too much (definitely a family-vaca must!) On Saturday we went to the Museum of the Rockies...definitely as exciting as it sounds ha-ha just kidding, (sort of) all of the kids had a blast so that's all that matters. 

Those cute lil froggies weren't so cute once we found out they are poisonous enough to kill 10 people! 

I didn't notice the sign until AFTER I took the picture...whoops! 

Getting restless...

I felt really cool, because I could identify the bony landmarks on the spine of a friggin' dinosaur! Booya! 

Dinner at Famous Dave's

 

My little buddies for the weekend.I'm holding Kayla and Kamery is holding my hand :)

Bryan and Nicole. Cutest family ever! Kinley, Haleigh, Kamery, and Kayla

Joe's parents and all the grand kids

Joe's oldest brother, Jake and his wife Kim and their son Mason. Adorable!

These girls are going to be heart breakers!

 

It was so nice to get out of Rexburg for the weekend and to spend some quality time with Joe's family. One downside to the weekend was that I got sick right after we got home! I don't want to hate on my future sister-in-law, but she was sick that weekend so I blame her! :) Actually, that isn't fair, Joe was sick and my roommate was horribly sick as well so I was just bound to get infected. We have a busy week ahead with finals and Dance Alliance going to Texas for two weeks woot woot!

Nothing Is as Constant as Change

After much procrastination, I have finally decided to post a real update.  Not that any of my other blog posts weren't real, I just figured I needed to make an  announcement formally (not that a blog is formal ha ha). As per the many phone calls, text messages, and awkward conversations with old friends I have had recently, I decided that I should let everyone know that Joe and I have changed our wedding date.  There have been lots of rumors flying around campus (and when I say "lots" I mean a ridiculous amount of made up viciousness.) Although, I am not going to air for the whole blog world to read the reasoning behind our date change,I will inform you it is NOT what you are (most likely) thinking. There isn't anything bad that has happened between us that typically happens to engaged LDS couples, so stop thinkin' that way, sheesh!  

I apologize to those of you who I blantatly lied to whenever I was asked about our wedding (cut me some slack, no one is perfect)  I so desperately wanted to hold onto our original wedding date and not have to go into why we changed the date and/or endure the judgment that comes with explaining any sort of blemish in a relationship. 

I apologize to those of you who thought you were invited and have yet to see an invitation, we obviously have not sent them out yet. I promise that everyone who wants an invite will get one! 

I apologize for keeping this to myself for as long as I have and not allowing anyone to help me.  I am a very stubborn person and I like to do things on my own, and this situation was very personal and difficult to get through that I wanted only close family and a few very dear friends involved.  Don't worry, I learned my lesson, the next time a trial makes its way into my life I will definitely lean on my family and friends a lot more. (prepare yourself now!) 

Although, I hear a lot of "wow, how could you wait that long to get married?" (just a word of caution, I will turn away and stop talking to anyone who makes those comments, trust me I know it's a long time.)  both Joe and I know that this decision was personal and it was made with the help of the Lord and we know that we are doing the right thing by waiting. I still get insanely jealous whenever I hear about people getting married before me, but I know that our wedding day will be all the more special because of the hard work and effort we had to put into getting there.  

I know without a shadow of a doubt that Joe is the man for me, even though these last few months have been rough and we have been faced with things that most couples will never experience, I know that we were meant for each other. We have seen the darkest of dark times, and the happiest, most beautiful times together.  These experiences have shaped and redefined our relationship, and we have grown and fallen more and more in love.  I never knew that through a trial I could grow to love more.  Not only has my love for Joe grown, but my love of life and the beauty and joy I find in the small things has overwhelmed me and changed my perspective to that of a more grateful one.  I love life and I am eternally grateful for this trial and the positive effects it has had in both our lives.  There is no where else to go, but up! Things get better and better every day and I am so lucky to have the life I have- it may not be perfect, but I am a happy girl. 

If anyone has any questions or concerns with anything I've written I'd really appreciate it if you would refrain from contacting my mommy and just call or message me! :) Even if you try and call my mommy, good luck trying to get her to budge on details she's the best mama bear anyone could ask for! <3 

Joe and I will be sealed for time and all eternity in the Mount Timpanogos Temple on September 23, 2011! Put it on your calendar, you can rest assured that this date will not change! :) Just a little side note, my wedding will be waaaaay better planned and put together and not to mention outrageously more beautiful  than any other wedding, just sayin'...(I'm not tryin' to hate on anyone's wedding, I just need a little self-encouragement ha ha)

September 23, 2011

A Slow Leak

Two weekends ago I was fortunate enough to have my sister, McKenna and my mommy come up and see me perform in Extravadance! It was so much fun to have them here and to see all the hard work Dance Alliance had done to create our wonderfully, fantastic show! We had such a blast together, even though my mom was only here until Sunday, we managed to make it an eventful weekend together! There really isn't a whole lot to do in Rexburg, especially in the winter, but we did find plenty of things to laugh at and have fun with.  My mom came up with the idea to go try on my wedding dress (it's still so weird that I'm getting married! A good weird, don't worry) because McKenna had never seen it in person! It was so much fun to finally see my dress and to see how beautiful it looked on (don't mind me while I brag a little) I would post a picture of it, but I don't want to ruin the surprise quite yet :) We then bought way too many Girl Scout Cookies (Thin Mints holla!)  and my mom's favorite, Robin Eggs- they are truly to die for! Go buy them along with some peeps and thank me later.

Since college life is anything but lavish, McKenna and I decided it'd be best to have her sleep on an air mattress and not crammed in my cozy twin bed.  We tried that one summer she came to visit me and trust me, it was not a pretty sight.  Joe had an air mattress and agreed to let her borrow it.  My mommy bought her an electric blanket and sheets and we set up the mattress, which fit perfectly in my little room! (we won't go into the details on how big of a disaster it was for me to set up, I'd like to keep my dignity in tack, thank you) Low and behold, it had a hidden leak in it! We don't know when it happened, probably shortly after she fell asleep, but the air mattress slowly deflated until poor McKenna was sleeping on the ground. We tried everything to keep that dang mattress inflated; I would wake up periodically throughout the night to pump it up, in hopes of somehow keeping her off the floor, but no matter what she always woke up on the ground with bubbles of air mattress surrounding her.  She was such a trooper and didn't complain at all, I really don't know how we're related! :) I guess anything is better than sharing a bed with me! 

This is love

Rockin' her hat

Making tacos :)

Disaster much?

They will both disagree, but I DID help with dinner!

Make a Wish and Do As Dreamers Do

First things first, these past few weeks have been insanely busy (nothing too abnormal these days) but this time is has been busy with Dance Alliance rehearsal's. We had our show, EXTRAVADANCE this weekend and it has been absolutely amazing! Opening night was beautiful and Friday and Saturday were equally as fabulous. Thank you to everyone who came and supported me! Joe saw all 3 shows AND sat through dress rehearsal, he loved it all!

Shockingly, I have a few extra minutes to blog and I thought I'd share one of the date's Joe and I recently went on.  Joe and I rarely fight or argue with one another, but when we do it is usually about what dates we're going to go on (I'm fully aware of how lame that sounds). I expect Joe to plan wonderfully romantic evenings every date night we have, but he doesn't like to do that.  Not that Joe isn't a romantic, he just wants to plan something with me to ensure total satisfaction on my end, since I can tend to be a little high maintenance. Okay, I can be a lot high maintenance (bless his heart). I decided to switch things up and ask Joe out on date! I asked him out over the weekend for Tuesday and quickly scrambled to plan something that would exceed his expectations. I never knew how stressful planning a date could be, and I felt really bad when studying and homework postponed our date until Thursday. (Secretly, I knew Joe was loving seeing me squirm over this date. I was finally getting a taste of what he has to goes through!) Thursday arrived way too fast and I still didn't have anything finalized for our date, and Joe's excitement and anticipation upped the pressure even more. All in all, I think I pulled off a pretty fantastic date. We kicked off the night with a classy dinner at IHOP and ate way too many pancakes and eggs. 

 

This might sound weird to some, but I hate pennies.  I think they are pointless and really annoying, and whenever my wallet accumulates an excess amount of pennies, I usually throw them away. So horrible, and ridiculously weird but whatever, don't judge. Lately, I've been putting them in a container Joe keeps in his truck for spare change (horkley's money, duh!)  I decided to sift out all the pennies from his truck and use them towards our date, no I didn't pay for IHOP in pennies, although that would have been funny to see the look on our grouchy server's face. I took him to a river in Idaho Falls and found and nice spot to make wishes with our pennies. Some might think it sounds like a lame date, but we had a blast together! We decided to make wishes and make promises to each other. Most were silly and really funny and others were ridiculously sweet and heart warming; Joe always has a way with words and can speak so eloquently. Me on the other hand...not so much. We were freezing and I think people thought we were strange for throwing pennies in a half frozen river at night time. I think I did a pretty dang good job! I don't want to plan any dates for a while, but I know Joe appreciated it and hopefully he had a wonderful time :)