one year

I can't believe we've been married for a year. Some days it feels as if it were yesterday, other days it feels like it's been much longer than that.

I have learned so much about John this last year, and I'm sure he's discovered some things about me (possibly that he doesn't love).

For example, did you know John is good at just about everything he does?

He decides he wants to do something, and just does it, and is good at it.

He can fix anything you need him to, even if he has to watch a YouTube video to see how it's done.

He can draw, sculpt, paint, carve anything you want him to.

And not to mention you'll never find another person who is more willing to help anyone and everyone. He truly is the greatest person, and I am so lucky to have scooped him up.

For our anniversary, John brought home these pretty flowers. The finishing touch on our cute little set-up.

One year later, and he still loves me. :)

Check out those chins.

Fat and happy.

We kept the top tier of our wedding cake, and it's been sitting in plastic wrap in our freezer since we got home from our honeymoon. We kind of were really scared to cut into it. But didn't regret it once we had.

We were expecting chocolate cake, because we thought that's what we had been told that's what it was. But it was just like the rest of our wedding cake...Raspberry Torte.

AMAZING.

Seriously, the best cake ever, and tasted just as fabulous as we remembered.

Overall, a great day.

Here's to eternity. :)

blast from the past

I had the opportunity to sit and chat with an old friend of mine this last week.

Her and I were friends throughout middle school and the summer before we started high school, her family moved to Louisiana.

The first coupe of years she was gone we were able to keep in touch, but since then we haven't talked much at all. The last time I saw her was the summer after she moved, which was five years ago.

She's changed a lot since the last time I saw her. She's grown up. Which I'm sure she thinks of me also. Her and I have taken different paths through life and are different points now. We're so very different, but seeing her made me so happy.

Not until I saw her had I realized how much I really missed having her around. We had our ups and downs as friends, but that's just girls, and she really is a great person.

I don't really know why I felt inclined to write this blog, but I just felt like I needed other people to know that she's a good person, even if she has changed in the six years she's been across the country, and I hope she's happy. I truly do.

fourth of july weekend

I must say, I wish that every year we celebrated the 4th of July for three days.

I love the 4th, and this year was no different.

John and I started out by going to the neighborhood parade with my sisters, their kids, and my parents.

For 19 years this parade has been going on...almost as long as I've been alive.

Craazy.

This is the only picture she let me take of her this day. After this, she would just growl at me and tell me she hated pictures. Eek.

The planers even got Engine-13 Firefighters to come lead the parade; they were really nice guys, even though they were on duty, they let people take pictures in and on the truck.

How cute is this girl? She loved everything about the parade.

As for J-Dubb, I don't know if he was asleep, or if he was just trying to escape the sun.

Syd loves to eat, pretty much anything.
She ate most of my snow cone.

My AZ girls. Minus Rach of course.

After the parade John and I spent the day at the pool with Noelle, and then later on with Dustin, Tacey, Jenny and the kids. Then we had a barbecue with the family.

Then, on to the fireworks.

I LOVE Sugarhouse fireworks, and I did everything in my personal power to make sure that they happened this year. I even wrote to the board and offered my help, but they never got back to me. Too bad. I still enjoyed going.

Sorry Tace...I had to!

Too bad it's dark, and too bad Jenny isn't even looking.

One year later. Still madly in love.

This year's show was one of the best that I have seen. It was longer than usual, and it was just great. I got some cool pictures but to be completely honest, I am sick of uploading pictures at this point, so I just picked this one. :)

Last night we went up to Oakley for the rodeo. John and I both had gone when we were little but haven't been in years; nevertheless, we LOVED it.

My cute cowboy and myself. :)

All thanks to these two. Daniel and Mandy were the ones with the tickets, and the ones who invited us to come along.

Love this.

Except, this poor girl is extremely allergic to rodeos.

The dust, the animals, the cotton; she was dying by the end.

Even Jenny came!

Just my cowboy watching the ro-de-o

This poor guy. This was during the Saddle-Bronc and the horse went straight up, and lost his footing, came right down on the guy. It was awful to watch, but luckily he got up and walked it off. Tough man.

I just liked this picture.

John and I decided that we could live in Oakley. I would definitely be able to wear cowboy boots every day, and I could definitely photograph professional rodeo for a living. Between PBR and PRCA, I would be satisfied.

Overall, it was a great weekend, and a very exhausting one. I feel like I needed today to recover from the weekend, but that was not possible, we had to return to work today. Always the greatest, isn't it?

bon voyage my little schmidt

My friend Marianne left on a six week study abroad today and so her cute boyfriend decided that we should throw her a surprise goodbye party.

We decided to have it this last Monday, and since John and I are staying at my parents' house, I offered their backyard for the location.

Melissa was the best. Sunday night Laird texted me and told me he had forgotten that he has class on Monday nights, and so he would have to be late to the party. He was how I was going to get Marianne to my house, and now I was stuck.

But, Mel stepped in and told Marianne she needed to go shopping and wanted her to come; then said she had to get a book from me, so they had to stop by my parents' house.

It worked out great.

Marianne walked into the backyard, pissed that we hadn't invited her to our barbecue.

We then informed her that the barbecue was for her.

It was funny.

I just love this girl.

She's my favorite cougar by far.

I hadn't seen Kirstyn since she had come home from school, so it was nice to see her walk through the gate.

Kirstyn, Brianna, Me, Mel, Marianne, Mandy, Alex, Hailey, Suzanne

The four of us have been together since the beginning of high school.

We're slowing moving our different ways.

Engaged, BYU, London, and Married.

But we keep in touch, and they're still my best friends.

Love you ladies.

This was from Father's day.

I just really like this picture so I thought I'd add it.

happy father's day

To Mike.

Thanks for raising John to be such an amazing person. I see so much of him in you; from your sense of humor to your businessman mentality.

We love you.

And to my Daddy.

Where would I be without my dad? Probably nowhere near where I'm at now. He is my biggest fan, and my hero, and I really don't know what I would do without him.

I'm so grateful for our Bear Lake experience, even if people thought you were crazy, it was the best thing for our relationship. I would go back to that summer in a second.

I love you daddy.

And to this goofball.

You may not be a dad yet, but you will be one day.

And I know you're going to be the best dad.

I love you the most.

We had a little family photo shoot because my Mother asked for pictures to send to Riley.
So, I thought I would add some of them onto the blog.
Enjoy. :)

Yes, Rufus is definitely licking my face.

Tried one without the glasses.

Our cute puppy.

My cute hubby. :)

This one is my favorite.
I think it's just us.

park city and bridal fun

John and I were invited up to Park City this last weekend with four of our best friends.

Marianne's family has a condo up there and so the six of us went up Friday niht and at on Main Street and then went back to the condo for board games and a movie.

It was so fun! And so nice to actually do something on a weekend night, other than sit at home.

It only took us a hundred tries to get a decent picture.

This one will have to do.

Love these two.

Friends for fifteen years.

I swear I'm not that old.

This was John's favorite that he took.

I think it's funny.

This past week was Mandy's friend wedding shower.

She's not getting married for another two months but with three of our friends leaving for London in two weeks, it was decided that the shower would be held before they left.

Here is everyone that came. It was nice to see everyone. :)

love you mares.

Liz, Caitlin, Melissa, Me, Mandy, Lauren Marianne

We all graduated together two years ago, and have this same picture from graduation.

It's crazy how much things change in two years.

But I'm glad that we still get to see each other and still get along.

love you all.

Oh, and PS - You'll notice in the bridal shower pictures that my hair is lighter.

I lightened it.

It's growing on me.