California Dreaming

It's been a while since I was actually able to go home to see my family. Some family I haven't seen since the wedding and I haven't seen my parents since Thanksgiving. So I was thrilled when Derick got me a plane ticket to go home to California. We were hoping to make it down to Arizona to Terra's but just couldn't make it work so now Derick owes me a trip there! LOL kidding! But it was really nice to spend a week at home. Mostly I just liked being able to hang out with my siblings and parents. Kristi and I spent a lot of time watching our favorite show "One Tree Hill" and playing with the boys! I also got to watch movies with Britt and go around town with Donny. We ate out a lot and even managed to do a little shopping! On Sunday we headed down to the beach. I hadn't been to Morro Bay in soooo long! It was fun to play frisbee on the beach, eat seafood, and walk the pier. Here are a few pics from the trip!

Sarah, me, Kristi, Jonathan, Hayden, Brittany, Mom, and Miranda

Don't step on the cracks! :)

Us again!

Jonathan and Me!

Hayden and his taffy!

Britt, Sarah, and Miranda on the whale!

The shortest pier ever! Oh and the biggest rock!

Huge seal!

Fun on the beach!

Kate's Baby Shower

My friend Kate is having a little baby boy in May so Meg and I decided to throw her a little shower last week. We had lots of yummy food, good presents, and tons of fun!

Gotta love Lindsay

I love Kate opening her presents but Lindsay's expressions are the best! LOL

Sorry some of the pics got blurry for some reason!

My diaper cake. I decided to make it short and simple but I think it turned out pretty cute!

Meg and Shelley

Me, Kate, Meg

The team!

Beware: A really boring blog!

I apologize for our lack of blogging recently but there has seriously been NOTHING going on! LOL Both Derick and I have been working, working, and working. And that's about it! This past week was parent teacher conferences, which equals a lot of long, tiring days! But I am so glad that they are over for the rest of the year! I also can't believe that the school year is more than half over. Derick has about 2 months left and I have 3. Time really does fly. Speaking of time, this weekend was the anniversary of mine and Derick's first date. Could a year really have gone by? I am happy to have him and am now looking forward to our 1st wedding anniversary (yes I know it is still 5 months away but what else do I have to look forward to?)

Yes we've done nothing too exciting these past few weeks but we have a lot coming up. For Easter we are heading down to Moab with Derick's brothers and some friends. They go every year but this will be the first time for me so I am excited! I'm also planning a baby shower for my friend Kate and then track break! I've been missing my family a lot lately so my sweet husband said I should go home for track break! So needless to say I am super excited for the up coming months! Look forward to more exciting blogs than this one! :)

Great Giveaway!

This has been one of my recent favorites! My friend Meg got a cute necklace from here and I'm so jealous! I've been wanting to get something for a while now and am saving up my money and now the Vintage Pearl is having a giveaway this weekend. Go on and tell them your plans for a fun spring break! Good Luck!

Guilty Pleasures

So today I was thinking that I have way too many "guilty pleasures". Now a guilty pleasure is considered something that you enjoy and then feel guilty or slightly embarrassed for doing it. Most people always have at least one. And you know you all do! So what are your "guilty pleasures"? Well here are a few of mine:

1. Watching reality TV competitions. My favorites are Worst Cook's in America, Project Runway, and of course...The Bachelor. Maybe I just love a scandal that has nothing to do with me!!! :)

2. Making chocolate chip cookies but mostly eating all the dough and only making a few cookies!

3. Watching stupid shows like the Kardashians, Guiliana and Bill, and anything with celebrity gossip instead of sports with my husband. And then I totally impress Derick with my knowledge of which athletes are married or dating whom!

4. Playing guitar hero and other girly games when I have time to myself!

5. Going shoe shopping-- which I haven't done since I got married by the way....But oooh I so want to!

6. Making a deal with my husband that whenever I work out he gives me a back rub! And if I work out all week then he..... well I can't reveal that part of the deal! (keep your mind out of the gutter!)

7. Watching sappy romance movies and reading sappy love stories over and over again!

8. Blog stalking!!

A year in review

So it's been a crazy past couple of months, let alone a crazy year. I saw on a friends blog that she did a year in review by looking back at each month and thought it would be fun to do, so here it goes...

January: Celebrated the New Year with my family in California and went right back to work!

February: Ended up getting Lasik done while on track break and couldn't believe how painless and easy it all ways.

March: Went on my first date with Derick to the Timp. Canyon and celebrated my 26th birthday.

April: Went to California Adventure with Tina and Kate for Spring Break. Also went to Arizona for a few weeks to celebrate Dakota's 1st birthday! Derick graduated from SUU!!

May: Derick moved to his parents' house in Lehi and got a job at Westlake High as a special ed teacher!

June: Derick and I went to Lake Powell with Meg and Colby for a few days. Derick proposed one night when we went on a hike. We decided we wanted to get married in August before school started again! Derick's sister-in-law Lindy has her baby and we got a new niece- Ava!

July: The school year ended and we went home to California so my family could meet Derick. Had fun with the family and celebrated 4th of July. Also went to Bear Lake with all of Derick's family for a week!

August: Derick and I decided to still have our reception on the 7th and enjoyed celebrating with all of our family and friends! We got our sealing clearance a few days later and got married in the Timp. Temple on the 13th! The next weekend we left for Manti for opening weekend of the Bow Hunt. We also celebrated Derick's 27th birthday.

September: School started for Derick and I. Not too much else going on. Just loving married life.

October: I went to Park City with the girls for a fun weekend. Derick's sister-in-law Andrea had her baby and we got another niece- Kendall! And thankfully it was time for a track break!

November: I went back to work for a few weeks before Thanksgiving break. Derick's Aunt Allison threw a fun New Moon party and we all went to see the movie! We were able to move into our own condo finally!!! My parents were able to come up from California to get sealed in the Manti temple. Derick and I had fun celebrating Thanksgiving with his family as well as mine!

December: Derick and I got settled into our own place. We even painted! We went to lots of Christmas parties for Derick's family. It was difficult with my family being here but it was fun to celebrate Christmas with Derick's family. Derick did great filling my stocking and being Santa! We are very blessed for such a wonderful year together!

Trying times...

Well, first off I can't believe it is already the week of Christmas. So much has been going on and so much has changed this year. It's hard to imagine my life without Derick and we've only been married for 4 months. But I am so thankful for him. 

Last week was a hard week for me. In the midst of all the craziness surrounding the holiday, I found out that one of my really good friends lost her baby. It came as a total shock since she was so close to her due date. I was pretty upset about the whole thing and am glad that Derick was there to put everything back into perspective. I just can't believe that it could happen, especially to them.  I am so sad that they will not have the opportunity to be with their little guy here on Earth but am so thankful that they are an eternal family and will be together again someday. I'm thankful that they have each other to turn to and hope that she knows I'm here for her anytime. I pray nightly for their family and hope they can get through this difficult time. 

It's also been a hard week, in the fact that it is Christmas and I won't be around any of my family. This is the first time I haven't flown home for Christmas and I miss my family terribly. I'm glad Derick's family is close and we get to share the holiday with them but it just doesn't feel the same this year. I'm excited to start new traditions with Derick but it sure has been hard. I love my family and it seems that Christmas is also the one time when our family gets together. I miss family pictures, playing with my Nieces and nephews, cooking/baking with my mom, playing games with siblings, and all around just sitting and laughing with everyone. I wish Derick and I could have gone home so that he can see how fun Christmas really is, and not just about money and presents but how it's really about the thing that matters most to me... my family.