Do you.... Fondue?

Happy Valentine's Day!

      What a wonderful holiday to be reminded of the love we have for all our loved ones! Brian took me to Olive Garden last night (to beat the crowd-which was an AWESOME plan!-). This morning before I went to work I left little notes around the house for him to find with chocolates. When I came home from work he had bought all the ingredients for my favorite meal--- Cheese FONDUE!

We surely "fondued" it up too! It was SO delicious!

"So are you two...? Do you... Fondue?"

-Captain America

Sleep Talking

    Truth is, I have a deep dark secret.. I talk in my sleep. There, I said it.. It's out there now. I've had the misfortune all my life to have friends, siblings, roommates, and now my dear husband have full on conversations with me in my sleep. Brian just got lucky and recorded this the other night.

What Matters Most

    Looking back on this new year of 2012 so far, it is so hard to believe that it is already February! Brian and I have been so busy with our last semester of school and trying to stay on top of all the homework! Brian is working hard with his on-campus jobs and helping to keep me sane.  For my major it requires a practicum which is kind of like an internship. I am doing it at a place in Logan called CAPSA (Community Abuse Prevention Service Agency). CAPSA works with victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and providing education about preventing violence in the community.
    I really love working here. I am here every day and I just love feeling like I am making a difference in someone's life. I've been telling Brian lately that since I got married before I could go on a mission, the Lord sent me to CAPSA. I feel like this is my mission and that I'm making a big difference to some of these people here. I got Brian to volunteer with me too and so we've been going through the 40 hour training which is every night from about 5:30-9:30. It's a long time to be there, but the information we are learning is just spectacular.
    Through all our busyness we've been able to fit in some fun too!

Bowling with our friends from the ward...

Skiing at Snowbasin and celebrating Raquel's 24th Birthday! WOOT!

Enjoying the times when we can just sit and relax and enjoy each other's company...

Spending time with our Best Buddy Denise...

    January with the month of birthdays for both our families. We had Brian's older sister Sarah's on the 8th (and we had a DELICIOUS dinner) with Brian's older brother Mike on the 19th, and his daugher sweet Esther on the 25th.. and then Raquel's on the 28th! Our brother-in-law Ben's birthday started out the month of February with a surprise party this last weekend which was a blast! So happy birthdays all around!

 

    We also said goodbye for 2 years to my cousin Jason who is on his way to Brazil in the same mission that my other cousin Nick served in. Woot! We love you Jason! 

    My cousin Tiffany had her little girl on January 12 and boy does she look like a little angel. This is the second daughter of my cousin Jared Johansen who passed away on November 30, 2011 about two months ago. Above is a picture my sister Camille took of the cute little family now. Jared is very missed, but he was definitely present in spirit with Tiffany during the birth and will be throughout their lives.

    It's been amazing to me that since Jared has passed away how often I've been able to bring him up in normal conversations and share my testimony about this wonderful man and his sweet family with their strength and examples. They are a light to the world and many people have been touched by the family and their great examples of faith and strength in this time of sorrow. I was able to talk to my cousins Nick and Nate (Jared's two little brothers) at Ben's surprise party. It was incredible to have them bear their testimonies to me about how Jared's death has opened up so many doors for sharing the gospel and bringing the light into people's lives. They are so strong and amaze me with how close they are to their Savior. I could just feel it as I spoke to them and couldn't help to get choked up and have to fight back the tears. Thank you Nick and Nate for your wonderful and sweet spirits!

"We have great reason to rejoice. If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most." 

                                                                                                        -President Uchtdorf

    Even though we've been so busy, it is important to find time for what really matters. May we all be able to do just that in the midst of the pace of modern life. Happy February!

I have a cute husband... ♥

    So if you didn't already know, I have a cute husband.. We have both been extremely busy lately with school, work, and volunteer trainings. I came home from school to this! It just made me smile! :)

 Then removing the top sticky notes, I found this one! :)

He's a keeper! :) We're celebrating 11 months this SUNDAY! :) Woot! Woot!

Be Happy Now

    This last weekend Brian and I went down to South Jordan to spend time with Brian's dad, Craig because Laurie was out of town visiting Brian's brother Mike and their little family. On Sunday in Relief Society this cute young mom with four kids gave the lesson. The lesson was on President Uchtdorf's conference talk "Forget Me Not." Here we were reminded 5 things the Lord doesn't want us to forget.

The one that stuck out to me the most was the "Be Happy Now"
    "Don't forget to be happy NOW!  There's nothing wrong with seeking good, what is wrong is when we put our happiness on hold waiting for that perfect thing that we think will make us happy. Are we failing to notice the blessings that we do have?"
    This mom told an example of what many of us grow up thinking. We start very young and think "If only I can get that bike that Casey has for Christmas, then I'll be happy" and then for Christmas we get the bike and our next thought is, "If only I can have those shoes, then I'll be happy" and then it moves to that awkward time when we're the oldest in the primary and we feel way too old to be there especially when we have to sing in the primary program with all those little kids and we think, "If only I can be in Young Women's now, then I'll be happy." Then the time comes to be in Young Women's and the next thought is the big 16, "I can't wait to be 16, because then I can date and drive and I'll surely be happy then." 16 rolls around, and driving and dating begin and we find that they really aren't all that we thought and so the next thought is, "If only I could graduate from high school now and move on to college, then I'll be happy!" And then we graduate and the next thought is, "If only I could get married now, then I'll be happy." And once your married it's "If only I could have a baby now, and then I'll be happy." And then the pregnancy kicks in and the morning sickness and then we're left thinking, "Man, I can't until this baby comes! Then I won't be sick and I can be happy!" and then comes the baby and all the up-all-nights, the diapers, the fussing and crying and we think "I can't wait for this baby to be out of diapers, then I will be happy!" And then comes another baby.. next thing you know your youngest is starting Junior High and you think, "Where did all the time go?" Well it went while you were waiting to be happy.
    I know this is a long example, but it hit me very strongly because in a few short months our life is about to make another huge change. In a few short months we will be graduating from College and moving to Medical School far away from Utah. A few short months is all we have left of living together in Utah for at least 8-10 more years. One of the thoughts that has been coursing through my mind is how excited I'll be when we return back to Utah to live in 8 or so years. Then I have to remind myself, that is years and years away! I'm living in Utah now. Be happy now! Right now I need to take advantage of being so close to our families and friends.
    So right now, now matter what is going on in my life, I am choosing to be happy right now. Enjoy the journey, not just the destination.

Emily+Joe Engagement Pictures

    Emily and Joe are such a cute couple! They were troopers in the cold snow! Thanks for the great shoot you two! I am very excited for your upcoming marriage!

Disneyland: Let the Memories Begin!

    Over Christmas break Brian and I went with the wonderful Larson's on an adventure to Disneyland! Brian's older brother Curtis came home for the holidays (He's still single ladies!) and Brian's little sister Mandy is going to Mexico to teach English for 4 months and left January 5, so it was our little Christmas from Laurie and Craig and our own little Hoo-RAH!
   What an adventure we had! It was so much fun to be down there with the family. Disneyland really decks out during the holidays and I had never been there before so it was a whole new experience! It was magical all the same! We left on December 20 and returned on Christmas Eve! Thanks Laurie and Craig for a wonderful time together!!

Into the sun!

Now check out these scores.... Hehe :)

These are REAL LIVE REINDEER! Pictured above is Dancer, Comet, Blitizen

    Disney's new World of Color is SO cool! It's a show with dancing lights and colors projected on water across the entire park! It is SO cool!!

It was a very Magical vacation for us!