Looking Back

I was looking through some of our pictures from last year the other day which I had not done in a while. It was a lot of fun to go back and remember some of things that I had forgotten.

BEFORE WE WERE MARRIED

Jon's first summer. I surprised him by coming down to visit him without him knowing. He took me to San Francisco. This is my first time at the Italian restaurant Pante Rei.

This is at Erick and Kira's wedding! I love them!! And yes, that is me in the front jumping as high as I can to get the bouquet, I really wanted it, and yes, I missed.

Jon left my house around midnight or so and quite a while after he got home he called me. His car, which he was not in at the time, had been hit by a drunk Mexican driver. It really sucked!!

Just after Jon proposed. We were kitty corner at city creek park so we walked over to temple square to take pictures! So happy!!





Every fall my family goes up to this same spot in the mountains. We eat chili and enjoy the fall colors. It was a lot of fun!! We loved just being silly.

Okay, you might have to click on this picture to see it, but, OH MY GOSH! Look at my shoes, white socks with my black flats and my hair pulled back tight!! What was I thinking!! And I did it ALL the time!! *rolls eyes are herself*

NEWLYWEDS

Our first Christmas together!!

Our first New Years kiss!!

Just after we got Zephyr, when we thought he was a girl and had named him Zephora, he loved sitting on the laptop because it was warm. Isn't he just adorable?

JON'S SECOND SUMMER WITH PINNACLE

Jon with a few of the guys at the beach. All of them are amazing pasty white!! Haha!!

Shortly after we got Asrielle. She did this to herself, we didn't put her there. LOL!

END OF 2008

We were secret agents for Halloween!!

Jon attempting to chop wood at the Kranenburg's! Haha!

Our snacks for the U of U vs. BYU game that we watched on our anniversary trip!

Fishing on our anniversary! Way fun!!

And we still like each other and go on dates! ;)

It's a lot of fun to look back sometimes and remember what you used to be like. We are still so in love!!

Recipe Blog Idea

I have an idea! And I think it will be a lot of fun!!

I'm thinking of starting a blog to share recipes with people. I would like to have more people involved other than just me. We can all get on and post recipes from time to time! I think it would be a fun way to share recipes not only with each other but with anyone else who decides to read the blog!!

If anyone is interested in being a part of it, please let me know! I think it will great!

The more the merrier!! I would love to have a bunch of people with me to do this!!

Let me know!!

Reptiles Galore

Jon and I have been looking forward to the reptile show since almost the beginning of the summer and it finally came to Sacramento last weekend!!!

So we took some time to go on a date and go see some little critters!! There were SO many reptiles! They had snakes, lizards, tarantulas (*shudder*), frogs, turtles, bugs (*shudder*) and even some scorpions!! It was so cool!! The snake that we have, to remind you, is a Taiwan Beauty Ratsnake and the place that we got her from was one of the vendors there. They were also the ONLY vendors that even had that kind of snake and there were only a few! We are so proud to have a snake that isn't super common! It's way cool!!

We also saw a bunch of snakes and lizards that we want to have eventually, including some that can't be held because they are dangerous! We started to plan out a whole room (probably Jon's office) where we would display all of them!! One of my favorite things about reptiles is that they are pretty easy to care for and they DON'T STINK!! ;) Walking into that huge convention center filled with so many animals and it didn't smell bad at all!! Awesome!!

We also saw some awesomely adorable and cool dart frogs and have decided to get a few different kinds eventually. Unfortunately, (fun fact) they can't actually be put into the same tank together, weird huh? Oh well. Anyway, it was WAY super fun and I'm even more excited for when Legion gets big now!! I love snakes!!

A Day In Paradise

On Sunday Jon and I were able to meet up with our good friend Erick down in San Francisco! He just started medical school at Stanford University and it was amazingly wonderful to see him. Unfortunately, Kira was not able to be there as well and we certainly missed her, but it was great to talk to Erick nonetheless.

We got to hear all about how medical has been for him so far and it really got us excited about when Jon start next fall!! The whole day was just amazing! We had a picnic at Golden Gate Park and then it started to sprinkle, which it did for the rest of the day. After having absolutely no rain so far this summer, I absolutely loved every minute of the weather!! We then went to Ghirardelli Square where they were having a chocolate festival and had samples of all sorts of chocolately delicious things, including brownies that tasted like roses!! Weird sensation...

We then walked down to the sourdough bread factory and watched them make bread for a bit. I love sourdough bread!! We then had to leave so that Erick could catch his train to head back home, but for some reason, probably a baseball game, there was SO much traffic and we missed it by at least 30-45 minutes, so we decided to drive Erick home. I am really glad that we did. The drive was wonderful, it was raining and the clouds were dark and the scenery was beautiful. It was amazingly calming to be there and talk about things that had nothing to do with Pinnacle and the summer, to remember what we were like and what we did before the summer, to just relax. It's been a long time since I have been able to relax so fully! Thanks Erick for a fantastic day!! We really needed it!!

On the way home we stopped somewhere to eat dinner and we started to talk about medical school and other things that have to do with our future, such as kids. We finally got to say what both of us were really thinking and feeling and got things settled down into an agreement. We're planning to wait to start trying for kids, we are hoping to work it so that we have our first during the summer between his first and second year of medical school. I think it sounds like a good idea, and though I'm anxious and don't like waiting, I feel good about the decision. I think it will work best this way.

On the drive home I cuddled up to Jon like I used to do and he sang to me our favorite songs from when we were dating and during the first part of our marriage. It was really sweet and the whole day just brought us closer together. It's amazing what really fantastic friends can do for you just by being there.

Unfortunately we forgot the camera so we don't have any pictures. Oh well.

Sometimes Bad Guys Make The Best Good Guys

LEVERAGE!! It is only in it's second season (which is almost over) and it is not as popular as I would hope, possibly due to it only being on TNT, at least when I ask if people have seen it the answer is usually no, but I absolutely LOVE this TV show!!! It's about a group of thieves who get together and use their skills to help people, while, of course, stealing and conning the bad guys. A bit like Robin Hood. It is really fun!

In the picture, it is Eliot, Sophie, Nate, Parker, Hardison.

The characters are all absolutely fabulous! There is Nate, who is the Mastermind. He finds the cons and makes all the plans. Sophie is a Grifter, or in other words, a thief who uses aliases to gain the trust of people. She also really wants to be an actress but is absolutely terrible at it, which is funny since she pretty much acts for a living as a grifter. Eliot is the Hitter, he pretty much beats people up. He is really cool! Hardison is the Hacker. He runs all of the technology sort of things and he's really fun! And last, but certainly not least, is my favorite! Her name is Parker. Parker is actually her last name, no one knows her first name. She is a Theif. She is very talented. She once stole the Hope diamond and then put it back because she was bored. She loves stealing (and occasionally does so without meaning to). She loves money but doesn't spend it, she just loves having it. She is terrible with men and even when she has to try to do a bit of grifting, like Sophie, it often ends with her stabbing the guy. It's so great! She is super funny and kind of spacy and crazy. I LOVE her!! I think I might name one of my daughters after her!!

So, Leverage is a fabulous show and I highly suggest watching it! It is my favorite show, only second to The Office, and just barely! It's great!! It's fun to see how the cons work out and most of the episodes have a bit of surprise ending. It's really cool!


Here are some of my favorite quotes, most, if not all, will be from or about Parker.

Nathan: "Parker.. you have Parker?" Dubenich: "Is there someone better?" Nathan: "No.. but Parker is insane?!"
Parker: I put all that money in a Swiss bank account.
Eliot: Millions of dollars, you didn't buy anything?
Parker: I don't like stuff, I like money.

Parker: 42 seconds - Hardison: What? Parker: - to rob this bank. One security guard who never fired his gun before, two closed circuit camera's outside, one inside, and an glenn-reader safe built in the 1950's whose default combination is the birthday of the manager's wife. Get in and get out - 42 seconds. Hardison: Seriously?

Parker (to Sophie): Wait, you did the lift? Why wasn’t I involved?
Hardison: Because somebody decided to jeopardize the mission when a certain somebody shish kabobbed a certain mark.
Parker (smiles): Yeah, that was me.

Cindy: You don’t think it makes me look fat?
Sophie (shakes head no): Uh uh.
Parker: Oh, definitely. I mean, why do you think I had to let out the waist, to make you look less skinny?
Parker: (after making Cindy cry:) What do you weigh anyway? A buck 50?

Parker pretending to be a flight attendant:
"In the event of a water landing, your seat cushion can be used as a flotation device. But let’s face it, if this thing goes down in the water, more than likely the impact will kill you. Please take a moment to locate the nearest emergency exits; if this plane’s on fire, you’re gonna want to get out quick. Jet fuel burns at over 1,000 degrees — that’s hot, folks.”

Sophie: We're going to do a little role play. We're going to start with persuasion techniques. So Eliot has an apple Parker has an orange.
Eliot: I love apples. Apples are my favorite fruit.
Parker: Good for you Sparky.
Eliot: (looks to Sophie) I don't have to sit here and take this, do I?
Sophie: Just do it for me.
Eliot: You have an orange, now convince me that I want the orange not the apple. I'm going to take a bite.
Parker: I PUT A RAZOR BLADE IN THAT APPLE!
Eliot: Are you serious?
Parker: Maybe. But do you know what doesn't have a razor blade in it? This orange! Don't you want it?
Sophie: You fell for that?

21 Years!!

My birthday was last Saturday and it was absolutely amazing!!! One of the very best!!! Matt and Kim came down to visit us and it was so wonderful to spend some time with them before they get married!! On my birthday Jon made me breakfast and then he had to go to work. Later we got together and went to see District 9!! It was pretty good, really different from most movies that are out now. It was cool!!

That evening we got together with Kevin and Rochele (along with Matt and Kim) and went to the state fair!! It was really fun! After that we got together with pretty much everyone that was still here for the summer and went out to Chevy's for dinner. Yum!! Jon got me lots of fantastic presents! I also got Pixar shorts from Matt and Kim, a shirt from my Dad, a necklace from Jessica, the game Partini from the Fillmore's and cards from our parents and my grandparents. Jon made me a cake that said 'Ferrari Rocks' on it!! He bought me the most awesome red heels and the color is Ferrari Red, so I guess that's my new nickname! Hehe! We spent the evening playing Scum with everyone! It was so wonderful!! Seriously the best birthday ever!!

On Monday Matt and Kim had to head home and so did Kevin and Rochele! It was really sad!! We'll obviously see Matt and Kim again soon (thank goodness!) but I'm not sure about the Fillmore's. They are up in Rexburg and we hardly ever go there. I had so much fun with Rochele for the last month or so and it makes me sad that we didn't realize how good of friends we could be until the end of the summer. I love you Rochele and miss you tons already!! At least I know we'll keep in touch!

On Wednesday pretty much everyone else with wives left, as well as some of the single guys. So now, as for wives, it's just me and Lindsey! Which is fine, I love Lindsey and her precious little girl, but it sure is sad that we are the only ones left. I started my new job on Monday. I'm the new secretary for this office for the extended program. So far it is going really well and I'm actually enjoying it. I hope it lasts! Haha!

Double Dates, Kickball and a New Job

So Rochele and I have been spending almost all day everyday together for the past week or so and it has been fabulous! It's so wonderful to have such a great connection with another girl!! I love Rochele so much!! She is such an amazing friend!! She's really the best and I am SO sad that I am losing her next week when she heads home to Rexburg. I'll miss her so much!

We were watching Racheal Ray one day and she had this fabulous looking recipe so we decided to do a double date with our husbands and make them dinner! We made lemon glazed chicken and tangerine scallion pasta!! It was delicious!! We also had sparkling cider, non-alcoholic wine, bread, and, of course, dessert!! We had apple crisp and vanilla ice cream! Yum!! We also made it all romantic with candles and low lights. It was so fun and really really tasty! It was great and our husband's loved it! After dinner we played games and had limeade!!! It was a great Saturday night!

On Sunday we had one of our last barbeques with everyone and then we went and played kickball together!! It was an absolute blast!! I haven't played a game like that for so long and I am so sore! It was SO great! Almost everyone was there! The score ended at 13 to 10 (or something like that). We were on the losing team and we had more people, it was pretty funny, but we had such a great time!!! I'm really going to miss everyone. Almost everyone is leaving by next week... Sad day...

So, I'm not really sure how this happened, it started out as a joke and then just happened so fast, but I HAVE A JOB!! No more job searching! YAY!! I am actually going to be the secretary for the Pinnacle office in Sacramento for the guys who are extending. I am pretty excited, though a little nervous. But Amy, the secretary now, is SO wonderful and amazing and she has spent a lot of time training me and making me feel comfortable about it. I'm so glad that I get to do this so she can go home! Wish me luck!!

Our Cruise To Cabo

Jon and I just got back from our cruise!! We decided to take a cruise because when we first started the summer we thought that we would be going to medical school by the beginning of August, instead we decided to put it off and work for Pinnacle for another summer which means that we didn't really have to go straight to work the day after Jon graduated. So we decided that we would take a cruise in August as a mid summer vacation., for us anyway, everyone else is leaving in a few weeks and we are just halfway through now.

The cruise was great! Neither of us have ever been on one before and didn't really know what to expect. It was awesome to be able to eat whenever we wanted and we didn't have to clean up and there was always amazing food at dinner. Every night we were assigned to sit with the same people at the same table and we had a really good time with them! They were a lot of fun!

Being on the ship made me sick and I was glad I had motion sickness medication for that or else it would have been a terrible vacation. It was cool though to be out on the ocean and not see any land for so long, though we weren't actually too far away from land, just far enough that we couldn't see it.

We went to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It was really hot and humid!! Why do we always decide to take vacations to hot and humid places in the hottest month of the year? Last year was Florida and it was awful! What were we thinking? Surprising though, Cabo was not as bad as Florida was. I got really nervous with all the Mexicans trying to sell us stuff and I don't speak Spanish, I'm not so comfortable when I can't understand what they want! But while we were in Cabo we got to hold a baby tiger!! We saw it and just couldn't pass up the chance!! Tigers have been our thing since we started dating!! It was so neat but I did feel bad for the poor tiger, she was so hot and tired.

We also got to go snorkeling!! We took a boat over to 2 different places and the boat ride was super fun!! I love speedy boats! We also saw a couple of manta rays while we were on the boat! It was really neat!! Snorkeling was great! The water was not even remotely cold, it was more like bath water! There were so many fish. I never thought it would be like that so close to the shore, it was amazing! Our guide caught a puffer fish and showed it to us. It was funny because apparently when puffer fish puff up they get really slow so it couldn't really get away and we just passed it back and forth between us. It felt so weird, it was prickly but not in a painful kind of way and it had a really ugly face. It was funny.

We also got to swim with Leopard sharks!! I've pet Leopard sharks at the aquarium so I thought it was going to be no big deal, they were pretty little there. And Leopard sharks aren't dangerous. So, we went snorkeling with them. No tanks, no cages, nothing special, just our snorkeling gear. I wasn't nervous at all and then I looked under the water and saw at least 5 of these big sharks!! They were not the little ones I was expecting and I screamed and got really scared but Jon held my hand and eventually it was really cool! There were so many, and again, right off of the shore, it was crazy!!

One the second day we got to go horseback riding on the beach. I am always pretty disappointed when we go horseback riding though. I love horses and I love riding them. But I don't really like sitting on a boring trail horse that I don't have the need to do anything with in the hot sun. It was sad, but it was pretty cool to walk along the beach with them.

So all in all, our vacation was great! We had fun on the ship and on the shore and it was nice and relaxing! Now it's time to get back to work! I get to start looking for a job and Jon gets to continue selling! We have another cruise to look forward to in October as a big incentive for the Pinnacle guys, so it'll be fun to be there with people that we know and love!

Things are going really great for us and I love our life together!!

Goodbye to Friends

The summer is coming to a close and that means that the people out here for the summer are getting ready to head home. There have been quite a few people that have left early and it's always hard to say goodbye, but the worst so far is when our dear friends Ethan and Misty left.

It was really sudden, each time we talked to them during the week they told us that they were leaving earlier and earlier then the original plan until it was suddenly time to go. I came out to say goodbye and I was okay until they brought out Zariah. It felt like my heart broke when I saw her and from that point on there was no going back. I lasted a while but finally started to cry, which of course made Misty cry.

It was a lot different than when Jon and I left Utah in the spring. We were excited about that and we were the ones that were leaving. But this was so sudden and we weren't the ones who were leaving and we got to see them every single day that we were out here and suddenly they are gone.

I just want them to know how much we love and miss them and we can't wait to come and see them in November when we come up to Utah for Thanksgiving. Thanks for being such amazing friends! We love you!

New Toys!!

Jon and I have decided that we really want to be more active and to find fun ways to do that, so we recently bought roller blades and have been having a great time skating around the area! It's amazing how much it works your body in so little time and is still fun, and it doesn't even take that much effort! It's like the ultimate workout package! I highly recommend it!


When Jon hit 100 sales he earned a camera by doing so!! So yesterday we went out and bought a fantastic camera! It is a digital SLR Canon Rebel T1i and it is AMAZING!! I am having so much fun with it! One of the girls out here during the summer is actually getting her degree in photography so I have been able to ask her all sorts of questions, she is fabulous and it is so wonderful to be able to have an actual person to ask who knows that they are doing! The camera is really going to last us for a long time, which is great! And it has HD video so we don't have to take our camcorder to Italy this winter, which will be fantastic!! I am SO EXCITED about it!

This afternoon I got together with Misty and Rochele and we took newborn pictures of Zariah! Now, I'm definitely not the best photographer but it was so much fun and I think we got some really good shots! It was great and it really makes me want to learn more and get better! Luckily, Jon's uncle in Michigan also is really good at photography, so hopefully I'll be able to get some advice from him as well! Fun stuff!!

If anyone else has tips or advice on taking good pictures, let me know! ;)

Here are some of the pictures that we took today! You can click on them to make them bigger. It's hard to capture the quality on the computer, but you'll get the idea.