FRIENDS

Our first year of marriage so far has been incredible.
I have laughed for 10 months straight,
and I never thought it would be this good.

But for most of these months,
I have been missing one big, important thing:
FRIENDS.

I mean, not completely.
I'd see them at planned things every few months or so,
but I did a very bad job of going out of my way to see my friends.
My BEST friends who introduced me to Brennan!
I practically owe them my life.
But I just had the hardest time balancing working, being a wife, 2 families, getting Bren through school, and FRIENDS.
I used to think I was just too busy to have a girl's night once a week.
But when something is important to you, you MAKE time for it.

So that's what I did.
And THANKFULLY,
my friends were all for it too.
For the past month or so,
I've been seeing my friends at least twice a week,
and my happiness has been THROUGH THE ROOF!

We've been makeup shopping (I sadly can't pull off the Kylie Jenner lip),
roamed Target,
ate Pizzeria Limone (Kit introduced me to their Caesar salad with chicken...that dressing!) ,
got our eyebrows threaded,
chatted for hours on my couch,
and on Saturday,
we went to the farmer's market,
City Creek (finally got my first Alex + Ani bangle!),
The Dodo,
drove around and looked at houses,
and played Settlers of Catan (yes, that board game from the 90s) with our boys that night,
along with raspberry shakes from the raspberries we picked up at the farmer's market.

So moral of the story:
Don't forget about your friends when you get married or get a serious boyfriend.
Because even though being married is THE BEST,
your best girlfriends do something for you that no one else can.
Balance in everything you know?
I'm so glad I finally figured that out.
Sorry it took so long friends.
Love you.

My Blog's 1st Birthday

It's my blog's first birthday!
Well, technically it was yesterday, but I didn't get around to posting about it until today.
We even went to Lagoon on Saturday to celebrate!
Just kidding. That would be weird.
We actually went for Landon's (my brother-in-law) last SAMU-RIDE before he leaves on his mission next week. Lagoon is a blast and a half about every five and a half years, and I was still overdue for a visit! It was the perfect last hoorah for the almost-Elder-Gregory. I will miss that adorable boy so much.

Anyways, back to the birthday celebration.
Let's throw back to the very first post of this blog, shall we?
It kind of still melts my heart.
As if he didn't already do enough for me, he inspired me to start this online journal, which I have
SO SO ENJOYED.
On top of keeping me sane while Bren watches baseball and other boring sports,
it has allowed me to document such an important year of my life, meet new people, and remember all the little but best moments.

At a friend's wedding on Thursday,
the most darling girl came up to me and told me
SHE FOLLOWS MY BLOG!
Now, I know this happens to lots of bloggers lots of times,
but this was a fun first for me, and I felt like a celebrity for a solid 3 minutes.
How cool is it that someone cares to read about my simple little life?
My
simple
little
happy
life.
I like it that way,
and I love to document it. :)

Here's to many more years, blog! And maybe a nice, non-iPhone camera when us poor newlyweds can afford it?
xoxo

Park City is ALWAYS a good idea.

The getaway that is only 40 minutes away but feels like you're in a totally different state.

 And also the home of the best ice cream IN THE WORLD.

Yes, I'm talking about you Java Cow.

 I'm not even a big ice cream person, and I am passionate about this ice cream.

 But don't forget to start out with Davanza's first, the best pizza by the slice I've yet to find.

 Get their street tacos too, suprisingly AMAZING.

 (I really need to find another hobby other than food.)

Then finish it off with some night swimming with the cutest kids you can find.

That is what I call a pretty perfect day.

 

 

Cherry Springer, anyone?

Hello, SUNSET!

Yes, this happened. Yes, they got dirty looks. But at least I'm sparing you the picture of my husband in the bath tub with the littles.

We need to make plans more often, Park City.

 

xoxo!

 

 

 

Pizza at the Park & Marriage Advice

 

I have started working full time Monday through Thursday and taking Fridays off, and that has been my best decision EVER! My weekends now start Thursday night, and I had the idea of picking up a pizza and eating it at the park since we both don't get outside enough during the week. We were even going to go hit golf balls after, until a small hurricane hit, and we had to switch to Plan B: Redbox. (Also grandma, I know you're reading this, and I want you to know that the beautiful quilt you made us was not at all harmed in the making of this date night.)

 

The next night was my good friend Tristyn's bachelorette party. After dinner and all the present opening, all the girls who were married went around and shared their best marriage advice. It was so good that I thought I'd share it on here!

 

-Don't nag at your husband. He already has a mother, he didn't marry his mother, and he doesn't want to feel like he married his mother. Be his partner, not his mom, and don't nag at him constantly. It will make him want to do what you're telling him to do ten times less.

 

-Learn their love language -and recongize that you most likely won't have the same love languages. Make sure you are showing love to them in THEIR love language, not yours. Also recongize in the first year of marriage that they are figuring out your love language, and to notice that they are  still showing you they love you even if it's not in your love language all of the time.

 

-Don't talk bad about your husband to family and friends, because you two will get over your argument and you will forgive him, but the person you told won't get over it and will hold onto those bad feelings longer than you do, because you love him.

 

-Actually DO go to bed mad. This was actually new news to me. I always thought it was best to talk it out so you don't go to bed with bad feelings, but my friends made a good point. If you are having an argument, just go to bed instead of saying something you don't even mean and will probably regret, and when you wake up in the morning you will have a much clearer mind, and will most likely be over the fight.

 

-Be a lady, but be yourself. Find a good balance of always being lady-like, but also still be yourself. If you have to go to the bathroom, it's ok to tell your husband. It's ok to wear your retainer to bed and have morning breath. These are humanly things.

 

-Be selfless. Think of them before you think of yourself, and if your spouse does that too, it's a recipe for a great marriage.

 

-aaaaand then some other advice I won't share on here because this blog is rated PG.

 

xoxo

 

 

 



The Struggle

Everday,
I struggle with the same thing:
what to put in my body.
I have always been into healthy foods.
When I was little, I didn't order kids meals from McD's, no way.
Salad shakers all the way!
And I've always been OBSESSED with fruit.

Even though you wouldn't believe it after reading my last post,
(footlong corndog anyone?)
I really do try to eat well,
not necessarily to lose weight,
but just to be nice to my body.
Because you can't control everything in life,
but you can control what you choose to eat everyday.

But trying to eat well comes with all these other problems.
Like not always knowing what to eat.
So stopping by Whole Foods almost every morning before work,
and buying this "Superfood Salad" that looks so healthy it might give me wings or a 6 pack,

 

 

for ELEVEN DOLLARS AND FORTY TWO CENTS.

Now, I plan eating this for 2 lunch days,

but still,

$11.42 people.

 

Well, it gets worse.

1- It didn't even taste that great.

2- It didn't even fill me up. (Even with eating an apple with it too.)

 

And that's not just with this salad,

it's with everything!

 

Also, a blackberry splattered on my new dress this morning.

There's another problem.

 

So what do I do?

Start eating fast food everyday? That would be 5 times cheaper.

Should I shave my tastebuds off my tongue?

How do you healthy people do it?

What are you eating for lunch?

 

I need some help.

So if any of my 18 followers

or anyone who happens to stubble across my little corner of the internet

happens to have any advice on the matter,

it would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

Sincerely,

 

Healthy is Hard



America's 238th Birthday

This year's 4th of July was the BEST YET. Probably because it fell on a Friday this year, which meant a loooooong weekend. And we made sure to soak up every second of it!

 

We kicked off the weekend EXTRA early on Wednesday by starting with Frozen Hot Chocolates from Island Flavor (that dumpy but darling green van behind us) and then coming home to watch Lone Survivor, a very fitting movie for the occasion, if you ask me.

 

 

After work Thursday we headed straight down to Provo for their Food Truck Roundup with Morgan, Ted, and little Luke. I had the best corndog of my life that day from Corndog Commander. 1 foot long, dizzled with honey, then dipped in mustard or ketchup? That's HAPPINESS in my book.

 

Bren, Mo, and Ted had Fiore pizza. They definitely had the coolest food truck and Pizzeria Limone-like pizzas!

 

 Friday, Bren golfed in the morning and I headed to the gym and Orange Peel with my best friend AKA mom. Almond Protein sweetened with agave or Stevia instead of sugar and add spinach and kale. Your body will thank you.

 

Then that night we headed to Sugarhouse Park! Brennan and his family have been going there since pretty much the beginning of time. Really though, Bren has never done anything else for the 4th of July! I kind of love the tradition, plus- the fireworks really can't be beat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday was spent at the gym and pool, followed by a slurpie run. Brennan had me work out with him this time and the next morning I woke up so sore I couldn't lift my arms. Husband and personal trainer all in one?

 

 

 

 That night we went to Alamexo and City Creek with my parents. This time we ordered the Carne Asada tacos, and Bren said it is the best meal he's EVER had. Woah there. He told me we are going there when he graduates in a few weeks, and I'm not complaining. Also, if you ask for another plate of churros, they will give them to you for FA-REE!

 

After church and naps on Sunday we BBQ'd and had another firework show. Bren was playing with those little Pop-Its with the kids and he told Ez to squeeze one in between his fingers (don't ask me why, I don't think that's safe). He tried really hard and then said, "My no have muscles." Then when we did sparklers, Greta grabbed hers and started singing Katy Perry's "Firework" and dancing all around. Can I adopt them???

 

 

 Happy Birthday America! We LOVE to celebrate you.

 

Cruisin'

1 gigantic cruise ship

2 bad sunburns

3 girls, 3 ports: Cozumel, Belize, & Honduras, and 3 sketchy massages on the beach

4 nights of comedy shows

5 books read between us (3 of them by my mom)

6 -night number six was the night we had tears streaming down our faces from laughing so hard

7 times I was asked why I wasn't coming to kids club and that I looked 17 and my sister looked 22 (telling them I was 21 and married was the shock of their century)

8 courses we would order some nights just because we could

9 days of 90% HUMIDITY

10 ziplines we rode through the jungle

& a countless number of times I was so happy to be on a girls trip with my all time favorite girls with no phones, no alarms, and no places to be

We're on a boat!

The cutest candy shop on the ship! We made more than 1 visit...

Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil

This book is a GOOOOOOD one

My boyfriend for the week



Blessed

The day I got home, Brennan picked us up from the airport. I ran so fast and hugged him so hard he almost fell over. We held hands the whole way home, he carried my very heavy suitcase up 3 flights of stairs, and when I opened the door, 

I saw THIS. 

I immediately started crying.

Then, as I began walking around our condo, I noticed that everything was 

SPOTLESS!

Even our second bedroom that I use as a closet, which was a total mess when I left. That room alone took him 3 hours. 

*crying harder*

On top of that, while I was gone my parents 

FIXED MY CAR!

About a year or so ago when Bren and I were still dating, it got hit and ran when parked at his parents' house. It got a huge dent in it that cost thousands of dollars to fix, and even though Bren and I have been saving up for it, we just haven't been able to afford it. My parents surprised me and said they were fixing it for my birthday. 

These past few days I have felt so blessed. Not lucky, but blessed. See, there's a difference: I think being lucky is by chance, and being blessed is on purpose. 

I don't know what I did to deserve having Bren as my husband. And no matter what he or anyone else says, I really don't deserve him. 

So the only thing I can do is learn from him, and try to be more like him. The number one thing he has taught me without saying any words at all is to be selfless. 

For example, when we're at the mall, he'll find a shirt he loves, and I'll say, "Get it get it get it!" And he'll put it down and walk away and say, "Nah, I'd rather get you that dress you loved in the last store."

Would I think to do the same thing in that situation? Sadly, probably not all the time. But I'm learning! And I think I have a pretty cute teacher. 

Sometimes we have to count our blessings to remember all that we have. But every once in a while, we have those days where we don't even have to look for our blessings because they are so big they're staring us right in the face. 

I love those days.