happy 11 months!

It's been 11 months since the day we made the biggest mistake BEST DECISION EVER!

last day of classes. somebody pinch me!

This school year has flown by! Fine by me, I have been looking forward to the summer since the first day of snow. I can't wait for:

longer, sunnier days

blooming flowers

summer blockbusters

warm weather

lake powell

sunglasses

getting some sun

camping

spending as much time as I can outside

and knowing I won't be returning to school in the fall!

And sometime I'll have to find a job.

In celebration of this special occasion we are going to dinner and then the movies to see Date Night.

billy and angie's wedding

We were excited to take a short trip to Northern California for Bill and Angie's wedding and went up a day early to visit San Francisco again. We pretty much did everything you can do in San Francisco during our last trip, so we had a special place in mind for this trip.  Matt drove the whole way there and the whole way back to Utah. He is the best.

The beautiful drive to San Francisco from Walnut Creek

We visited Golden Gate Park and we were amazed at how huge it was. I haven't seen Central Park in NY (someday) but I think this is what it would look like after visiting Golden Gate Park. With it's massive trees, lakes and rivers; it didn't seem like we were in a city.

We had to stop here...

to get here, a sandwich shop highlighted on the show Man vs. Food show...

to have the chance to eat this: the Kryptonite. Matt is holding only half of it in his huge hands and it was delicious.

Billy and Matt. The wedding was at a beautiful park near the bay and I am mad we didn't take a picture, it had an amazing view of the bay on the drive up. Matt did a great job with the best man toast.

stress: a waste of energy

When I get stressed, I start to complain and I'm lucky Matt doesn't get too annoyed. I guess complaining is a way to let stress out and make me feel good? Yea, doesn't make any sense. Matt will never show how bad things bother him, usually just rolls it off. I wish I could do it as easily as he does. So when I start to complain, usually about school, he tells me to stop being a baby by making a sad, pouty face and wimpering noises. Even though I find it annoying he makes such a face, I appreciate it. It let's me know I am being silly and and to get over it, but it's hard. The most torcherous part about being married is that he is not in school and I am taking a full load trying to end my 5-year escapade at BYU. I cannot believe I have been here for that long, it does not feel like it. I have a hard time focusing on the present when I just want to be living the future where I am in a beautiful world where I don't have to worry about writing papers or studying for tests.  I know I am going to miss these days and I'll be sad when they are over, but I love change and I am ready to move on. I don't think anyone else can do stress like I can. I have it mastered. I kind of build things up in my head and blow them way out of proportion. It does no good and I let it get to me. It just ruins my mood and stops me from enjoying myself in the moment and I am working on it. It is slowly, but surely getting better. I am thankful that I have a husband who won't let me dwell on things I have no control over and to just take care of things when they need to be taken cared of. Those pouty faces are just a reminder that what I am stressing about is not a big deal and it will pass.

what we have to look forward to...or not

Matt was not satisfied with our first attempts to make a baby so he made another one here. Much better. It actually makes me really excited to see what are babies will look like. I can/cannot wait!

December 2009

best wedding ever

Nathan and Katie are married! Another wonderful sister to add to the 7 I inherited in May. Here was the day-to-day activities:

Wednesday (2/10/10): Matt,  Manti, Rach and I fly to Dallas.

Thursday: Snow ALL day...setting a record of 12.5 inches. Last fitting for bridesmaids dresses, helped momma put together the rehearsal dinner flowers and then Rach and I went to Katie's Bachelorette Party with the rest of the bridal party at the mall for manis and pedis and dinner at Maggianos.Then drove as slow as possible to get home on the slushiest roads I have ever been on. It was so bizarre to see Dallas completely covered in snow.

 

Friday: Momma, Grandma Nelson, Adrianne, Rach and I went to a cooking school/kitchen appliance store with all the women relatives on both sides of the bride and groom to make our lunch with the chefs that teach classes there. Such a good idea! We've never done anything like it. We made paninis with  freshly made mozzarella, vinaigrette dressing made from scratch with our salad and freshly chopped herbs rubbed on delicious pork sirloin. That night, met at the church for the wedding rehearsal, luckily the church 's power came back an hour before we arrived (most of Dallas was out of power because of the snow) and we practiced walking down the aisle and placed where we would stand during the ceremony. Dinner rehearsal was moved to another Catina Laredo right by our house because the original location didn't have power. Ate delicious Mexican food and watched the video Katie's brother, Tony, made for bride and groom. He did a great job. Nathan and Katie showed off their dance moves for the video, a little preview for what was to come at the wedding reception. Afterwards, friends and family came to the house to celebrate Dad's 58th birthday, yes 58th! Mom and Dad stocked up on a variety of delicious Blue Bell ice cream (one of the reasons I want to move back to Texas) for his birthday/the weekend.

Saturday: The big day! We headed over to Katie's parents house to get our hair and makeup done with the bride, bridesmaids and Maddie and Abbie (the flower girls). Maddie and Abbie looked like princesses in their fluffy dresses and up-dos. Us bridesmaids put on our dresses and got into a huge limo while Katie in her cute white track suit got into her own limo to. We arrive at the church, Katie puts on her beautiful dress and it's picture time. After pictures we had about an hour to talk in the bride's room and played charades. And it's show time! We lined up and Luke needed a little gum motivation to break away from his dad and wait to walk down the aisle with his sisters. He was so adorable in his little tuxedo! After the ceremony, more pictures and to the hotel to rest up for the reception. And holy cow, the reception was amazing. It was at Union Station, an old train station in downtown Dallas. Pictures of parents and grandparents from their weddings were set up as you first walk in, up the escalators to a bar area for cocktail hour and then dinner. Before dinner the parents and wedding party were to be announced and dance out to the dance floor. It was all improv dancing, but luckily I was with my brother Matt. Dinner was so good and my favorite part was the mashed potato bar with all the trimmings. Besides dancing for the rest of the reception with the amazing band and DJ, their was a room set up to make a 7-second video that was made into a flip book. Matt and I did one, as well with all of the bridesmaids and the bride. Back to the dancing, Nathan was the star. I've known he is a great dancer, but dang, it was incredible. Everyone loved it. Katie had a special surprise for Nathan after the toasts, Beth had Steve record a toast because he would be in Afghanistan and sent it to Katie to be played at the reception. It was really sweet and funny. At the end of the night, we lined up outside to throw flower petals at Nathan and Katie as they left. They are going on a South American cruise for their honeymoon starting from Rio de Janeiro.

 

Sunday: Valentine's day! Brunch at the hotel with family and the bride and groom. And all the festivities for the wedding are over. It was so nice to be around family and old friends. Later that day we visited Nathan and Katie's house they had just moved into maybe a week before. Then finally, Rach told Manti we were going to the NBA All-Star game that night. I don't know how the surprise wasn't ruined. Even though we were in the nose bleeds the game was so much fun and the entertainment was amazing with performances by Usher, Shakira and Alicia Keys. I was star struck by all the players and in awe of how huge the new Cowboys Stadium is. With that said, we are apart of a Guinness world record now as we were apart on the largest crowd ever of 108,713 people to attend a basketball game.

Monday: Back to reality and flew back to Utah. And Matt took a picture with Reverend Jesse Jackson at the Dallas airport.

Mom and Dad

 Grandpa and Grandma Nelson

Grandpa and Grandma Musick