we're alive...

I haven't blogged since APRIL. Holy fail. Here is a quick update for anyone who still reads this!

Sissy and Tom got married!

April 27.

It was such a great day, and she was a GORGEOUS bride.

Shortly  after the wedding (three days to be exact) I had surgery on my sinuses. I had been having chronic sinus infections so Dr. Hill (the best!) went in and removed all the residual infection, plus opened up my turbinates so that I can actually breathe through my nose! It was a rough week of recovery full of nose bleeds, throwing up, and lots of sleep, but it was so worth it!

Into May we go.

May 20th I decided I should crash my car.

Okay, I definitely didn't crash it on purpose, and I only remember the date because it was my parents' 30th anniversary.

I was exiting I-80 at 13th east, and after turning left I went to change lanes, but didn't realize the cars in front of me had already stopped. 

By the time I turned back from checking my blind spot, it was too late. 

Crash.

My first accident, ever.

I cried. Had a panic attack.

Thought the world was ending.

It wasn't.

It was just a scary event.

Luckily no one was hurt, and I didn't even get a ticket.

And, insurance covered my car, and the guy I hit, so it worked out. 

Then in June, John decided he needed some attention and ended up in the E.R. 

He had been having some abdominal pain, and was throwing up all day, so he finally gave in and we went to get it checked out. They checked his gallbladder and his appendix. Everything was normal. Except for his liver enzymes. They were double what they should be. So, after spending, literally all night in the ER, we were sent home, with no answers, and told to go see his regular doctor in 2 weeks about his liver enzymes.

So he did. And the doctor pretty much told him, tell your wife that if you start to go jaundice, then we have a problem. It sounds like you have Gilbert's Disease. It's where you liver randomly shuts down, then spikes, then is normal, then shuts down, etc. 

Sounds normal, right?

We celebrate the 4th of July with the Lawrence's in our backyard. Had a BBQ, watched the fireworks that are set off at Sugarhouse, watched people fight with the Arby's employees, you know, just the normal 4th of July stuff.

Then, on the 18th of July, we went and saw Jimmy Eat World! 

It was seriously the best concert I have ever been to. And yes, we were on the second row, and Daniel and John protected me and Mandy very well.

John and I talked about going to Vegas in September to see them again, that is how much we liked the show. Unfortunately, I can't get off work. That's what happens when the person you work with will also be out of town the time you want to be gone.

We celebrated FOUR years of wedded bliss on the 27th of July up at the Hawker Lodge.

We spent the weekend up there. We took out the ATVs on Saturday, and just hung out. So nice to just get away.

Saturday night we went to Cheesecake at City Creek, because that is what John wanted, so that is what we did! Then we went to Nordstrom and I got a new wallet, and iPad case. John is still searching for the pair of shoes he wants. He probably is sick of me nagging about it.

And last, but most certainly not least, I am officially a college graduate! I was supposed to walk the first week of May, but because of my sinus surgery, I didn't feel up to it. Didn't really feel like puking in front of strangers. And I had to take a class the first half of Summer, but I have been done since the middle of June, and just this weekend, I received my diploma in the mail! Officially have my Bachelors. You better believe that baby is on the fridge, until I get a frame for it. And then, I don't know where I'll put that frame. 

I'll try to be better at blogging, but I can't promise anything.

Besides, being a grownup isn't that exciting anyway. 

hallowbirthend

hallowbirthend: A rare occasion when mine and Mandy's birthdays, and Halloween are all celebrated in the same weekend.

It was quite the awesome weekend if I do say so myself. Friday night John and I spent three and a half hours at Ikea, and left with a little less money in our pockets! BUT! We got a cool new shelf, and even some inspiration for a new tv stand, because of course, my husband had to build one instead of buying one. Oh well.

Saturday, Dandy threw Halloween/Birthday party for miss Mandy, where we had delicious soup in bread bowls, carved pumpkins, and watched the most terrifying movie EVER. If you like scary movies, watch, "The Woman In Black". If you don't like scary movies, don't even think about it.

Everyone's pumpkins!

Daniels, ours, the Baucom's, and Marianne's. (Austin, bailed. Boo.)

Sunday night my parents threw a Halloween party so that they would be able to see their grand kids in their costumes! My mom made homemade Root Beer, dry ice and all. She also make pigs in a blanket that looked like mummies (watch out for the pepper corn eyes), and she made spaghetti, which we all just love! She got really into it, which made it so fun! Not everyone wanted pictures of their costumes, so I only have pictures of some of them!

Cutest little Telletubby ever.  

Elmo and a, very pregnant, cookie monster!

And a subliminal political message. ;) 

If you watch "How I Met Your Mother", then you'll know what the slutty pumpkin is. If you don't, then you will have no idea, like our entire family. But hey, she tried. :) 

John and I "dressed up" as Price is Right contestants. We totally forgot about our costumes, so I made them Sunday with the cardboard leftover from Ikea, saved us! I am bias, but I think they turned out pretty well!

Sunday was my actual birthday, so at the party my mom had balloons for me, and cupcakes from Sweet Tooth Fairy (FAVORITE!). They sang me happy birthday, and gave me a nice little gift.

For my birthday my husband got me a new pair of moccasins. They are, hands down, my favorite shoes in the entire world. I'm telling you, go buy some, they are legit. 

Oh, and not to mention, I got an early birthday present the first weekend in October.

Just a new car.

NBD, right?

I decided I wanted a four-wheel-drive car, and had been looking at Subaru's, but the Impreza wagon, which is what I was looking at, was smaller than my Honda, and I didn't know if I wanted that. 

Okay, honestly, I was worried Daniel wouldn't be able to fit in it, and that's who we spend all our time with, so he needs to be able to have enough leg room in my car. This was truly a factor in buying a new car! I also decided that I needed an SUV because I don't want to put a car seat into a small car. No, this is not an announcement. I am just thinking ahead! 

So, I went to the dealership to talk to J's brother who sells cars, and was looking at a Kia SUV, but the payments would have been too much, so he pulls out this Lexus RX330 that they had taken in on trade. I took it for a test drive and was sold! Traded in the Honda then and there, and drove the Lexus home. 

I am in love with it.

Best birthday present ever!

Oh, and how beautiful are Utah sunsets?

NB2012

Two weeks ago

has it really been two weeks already?

We went to Newport Beach with the Sorensen's.

A trip we planned the first week of October.

We were so ready, and it was well worth the wait.

We drove, which, I wasn't ready for, but it turned out not being bad!

We drove to Vegas and stayed overnight, then went into Caesar's for a little shopping before we hit the road again.

Where I got my first little blue box ever, and in was a super cute sterling silver ring!

I have the best hubby ever.

After leaving Vegas, we stopped in Barstow. 

Except we stopped in the ghetto part of Barstow.

I wish we had gotten pictures because I seriously feared for my life.

It felt like NY, in a subway station. A subway station in a part of town you don't want to be.

Once we reached Newport we spent a lot of time at the beach.

I would never turn down a life where I got to spend my days at the beach.

We also went to the happiest place on Earth!

Where we got the BEST caricature drawn of us, ever.

And got soaked on Splash Mountain.

And where Daniel and I rode the Screamin' California without our spouses because they don't like coasters. 

Can you spot us?

The last night we were there, we decided to venture and get pictures of the sunset. 

Don't mind husband's scary eyes. 

Thank you Sorensen's for being my models.

We also went to Joe's Crab Shack for the first time!

Best crab I've ever had. 

Oh, and Mandy found sketchy shorts under their bed in the beach house.

Eek.

Such a great vacation.

So needed.

When can we go back?

Day with the A's

John and I spent a day with the Salty A's out at Miller Motor Sports Park.

We took a tour of Larry H. Miller's car museum. Seriously, I'm extremely jealous of  his collection. I love Shelby Cobras. 

Everyone with an A there got to drive it around the track once. 

Funny story.

We thought that everyone was getting two rounds around the track, so the first lap Matt dropped me off at the first turn so I could get pictures of everyone coming around the second time.

They didn't get two laps.

Just one.

I was left, standing on turn one.

Luckily, this super nice guy in a golf cart came and picked me up.

He laughed at me the whole way back.

I was recruited to take pictures.

This is my favorite  one.

After the sports park we went to this warehouse where this man has over the years collected things from WWII. 

It was the most amazing thing ever. He had American, Russian, German, Japanese, everything. 

It was probably something we'll never get the opportunity to experience again, so..I took a ton of pictures.

But don't worry, I'll only post one.

rough.

This last Friday I came outside to go to work to find this.

Some punk had broken into my car and stolen my backpack.

In my backpack was a textbook and my laptop.

I lost it, started to cry, called my mom, went and woke John up, called work to say I was going to be late, called the police.

By 8:30am, the day had already been too long and a crappy one.

I reported everything stolen, while John called the insurance.

The window only cost $140 to replace so it wasn't worth making a claim, but the things taken were worth it (we thought).

I got a call from the insurance yesterday and they told me that after depreciation, my items weren't worth more than my deductible.

SUCKS. Lesson learned. The hard way.

After I called my mom, she called my dad, and then felt bad for me. So they sent me flowers. My mom was sneaky about it and called cute Britton that I work with, who told her how to get the flowers to me, and they were delivered to me at work. Such a cute surprise.

And by the way, to all of you who keep making comments about how stupid I am to leave my laptop in my car; do you think I don't feel like an idiot already? I don't need you to bring it up over and over again. So, you can shut up.

Thanks.