cupcake pebbles and biggest loser

Biggest Loser is a Nelson family favorite. This is the only reality show I would watch for an entire season. Although it may be a little too dramatic sometimes and there are alot of shameless plugs for Subway and Jenny-O Turkey (thanks to DVR we can avoid those), I quite enjoy watching the contestants overcome their physical obstacles and emotional distress. It is so motivating and I can't get enough of it. In celebration of the season finale, we made the very delicious and not so nutritious cupcake pebbles topped with the best icing out there, rainbow chip.

Matt and I will finish phase one of P90X today. It was an off again, on again process in the beginning with family in town, but I am seeing small changes and we won't have as many distractions here on out. I am proud to announce, I can do a deadlift pull up! Just one, but still a big deal. I want to talk about Matt's changes, but he won't let me because he claims it is MY blog. Which may be true.

softball and ice cream

Matt and Manti have a pretty good softball team going this summer for BYU intramurals.

All hail the Blendtec. I've never seen Rachel more excited about anything. Here we made cookies and cream ice cream.

one year anniversary

I can't believe it has been a whole year since we were here.

Yesterday, we celebrated our one year anniversary. The time has flown by and we can't believe it has already been a year. After hearing of other couples experiences about their first year of marriage, we had been expecting the first year to be very hard. I don't know if we scared ourselves into expecting a very challenging year, but it turned out to be pretty easy and it can only get better, right? We hope so. I feel like we can only go up from here since all we have to worry about now are jobs and paying bills. I think the main reason why it was an unexpected success is that we don't really expect each other to do things for one another and it is a nice surprise when the other one does something nice. I know this sounds odd, because isn't that what spouses should be, always doing nice things for each other? We kind of just do our own thing when it comes to cooking, cleaning and laundry. I think that is what made it easier, not having false hopes of what the other would do for each other.

What I expected before getting married:

Matt and I would do our laundry together. Matt can't stand finding my hair in his clothes, so we don't.

Cooking meals every night. Ha! It takes too long and too much planning, that we ate out more than in.

What I learned about Matt:

I was SO naive about how passionate he is about politics. I have never watched more news in my life.

He really doesn't stress about anything, he is my hero. I even try to entice some anxiety just to see some sign of worry, but he will not budge.

He can find the good in bad situations and helps me not to take life so seriously.

He is a great roommate, cleans up after himself and doesn't expect me to be the doting housewife.

He is handy with electronics and cars.

He is a fantastic cook.

He is so, so patient. I am very lucky. He has never raised his voice to me.

I am so excited to see what this next year has in store for us and I know we have only scratched the surface of what there is to learn about love and marriage.

For our anniversary I made these French toast cups I saw on the Rachael Ray show. If you would like to know the recipe, you can find it here.

My parents left behind their bikes when they drove back home to Dallas (and they'll be back in August! So excited.), so we biked 8 miles, on the Provo Trail conveniantly right by our apartment, down to Bridal Veil Falls in the Provo Canyon. It was beautiful and so much fun. I can't remember the last time I rode a bike.

For dinner, Matt made these amazing shish-kababs. They were delicious.

After a year of marriage, it has been made undeniably clear that Matt and I are made for each other. With a sweet, supportive and loving husband like Matt, I shouldn't be surprised by how happy we are.

a life-changing book and mother's day

Dale Carnegie is better known for his book How to Win Friends and Influence People (and the next book I am going to read), but the most recent book I have read by Carnegie has in a large way changed my life. It is called How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. My mom read it when she was 29 and she gave it to me to read because she knows of my battle with the unknown and my unconstructive desires to control what happens to me.

I strongly believe that anyone who reads this book will gain some kind of invaluable knowledge to live by. Even if you have no worries and are completely happy, you will have a greater appreciation for your life aftering reading the hundreds of stories and interviews Carnegie uses to justify his advice and methods to conquering worry. Carnegie has covered every possible topic and method of living a happy, fulfilling life without worry and they are all equally important. I can't say enough how amazing this book is. It is an easy read and is practically 341 pages of stories and knowledge of awe-inspiring people from Christ to Benjamin Franklin and so many more scholars and leaders that we can learn from.

This book was written in 1948 and gives fasinating examples of how people overcame worry during the depression, war, and unimagineable situations most of us will never be faced with. I would read this book just for the history and to learn more about the amazing people Carnegie learned from to write this book.

This book has changed my life and has given me a new perspective on what I can do to improve myself and attitude towards the unknown.

At the beginning of the book, Carnegie gives the advice to read each chapter twice before moving on to the next and to take notes. I did read each chapter twice before moving on and regret not taking notes. I was happy to read each chapter twice before moving on. The information is THAT valuable and the stories are THAT fascinating. I loved reading this book.

I am so grateful my mom gave me this book.
Speaking of my mom...yesterday was Mother's Day!
We went to church, ate brunch, opened presents, napped, swam, played games and watched the nba playoffs. It was a fun day celebrating the greatest mom ever.

The day before Mother's Day; Rach, mom and I went to Thanksgiving Point for the Beehive Bazaar (craft show) and walked around the gardens there.

The lady at the front desk told us about the new owl and its babies at the waterfall. The owl's head moved like a robot.

Besides all this excitement, Matt and I were able to see Matt's mom, Aunt Deena and cousins as they came to Utah for a short day trip for Matt's great Aunt's 80th birthday. It was at a beautiful park up American Fork Canyon and made me more anxious to spend time this summer hiking and camping. I love Utah in the summer!

cinco de mayo

Happy day that commemorates the liberation of Mexico from France at the Battle of Puebla! Matt says that Mexicans don't understand why Americans celebrate it here because they rarely celebrate it there...now you know.

 Since school has been out I have been working at a wholesale floral supplier for the busy season, Mother's Day and Memorial Day. Who knew it took so much work to get these blooms all arranged and shipped to your nearest grocery store.

Matt was enjoying the sunny weather when I got home. Hopefully, we won't have another freak snow. Let my summer begin, Utah! It has been so nice living right by the Provo River and trail. I'll be sad when we eventually leave this apartment/first "home" together. For now, I'm excited for frequent walks by the river.

It is going to be an interesting summer. We are doing our best to figure out the future and to get ourselves out of Utah. In the meantime, we want to take advantage of all we can that Utah has to offer as we don't know where we will be next summer. The attractions at the top of our list include: camping in Moab, Havasupai, Bryce and Zion's National Parks and many other beautiful landscapes as they are available during these few warm months.

I don't know how I feel about this time in our lives. It is exciting and skeptical because we have the great opportunity to start doing whatever we want, wherever we want. We have the world at our fingertips, but how do we decide with so much possibilty, flexibilty, and freedom! We have much to consider.

Elder Holland's Testimony of The Book of Mormon

I am so thankful, fortunate, happy to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to have the knowledge of the Gospel. I know Joseph Smith was a Prophet and that The Book of Mormon is true. It brings me closer to Christ and gives me peace.

a great movie

In my opinion, movies based on true stories and historical events are the best. Some of my favorites are Rudy and Life is Beautiful. I love how they portray the human spirit and what people can overcome and endure.

I saw this movie last night at the Park City Library with my mom and sis. This is not a feel good movie, but I have a new found respect for the mountains and for those who are passionate about what they love and what they would live and die for.

It is called North Face (Nordwand) and is in German with English subtitles. Here is the link for the movie's page on IMDb.