On my mind

I've had some things on my mind lately...some not by choice, some serious, some not so much, so I'm going to ramble for a minute. Partly for my own sake (it always feels good to write things down), partly because it would be nice to have some feedback from you all. Here goes...

I'll start out with the least serious first. I've heard quite a few negative comments regarding blogging, specifically how blogs seem to be merely a brag webpage for the author to post how perfect a life she has. My feelings on this are pretty mixed. On one hand, I totally understand how one can get sucked into the blogging world and view all these posts that focus on all these great things happening and you start to think "Oh I wish I had that" or "It would be so nice if this." I'm not going to lie...I've thought it. However, I also think that it IS good for us to focus on the good things happening in our lives...this keeps us hopeful, positive, and grateful. I just want to say that I hope my blog never comes across as too "picture perfect" because we all know that everyone of us has their own issues and problems. I have a great life, but it isn't perfect...no one's is. With that being said, I love seeing all of your fun events and accomplishments, so go ahead and brag about it!

Next topic...Food Storage. Wow, what an overwhelming thing that is constantly on my mind. I know a lot of you are thinking about it too because I've seen posts about it. I know I need to get my butt in gear and start organizing and collecting, but its so hard to even know where to start. I also know there are lots of resources out there to help, I just don't know where to look. So if any of you have any suggestions, comments, tips, etc PLEASE share!

Last but not least...I'd rather not think about this, frankly because it scares the crap out of me, but yesterday our Bishop taught the combined RS/Priesthood lesson on Pornography. He was so nervous and you could tell he didn't want to address this issue, however, he told us he knew he needed to. Listening to him teach I gained a stronger testimony on the local leaders that we have and their closeness to the spirit, and also their love for those they serve. It was a real eye opener for me. I don't know why this time, I've heard it a million times lately, but for some reason I left so scared. Scared might not be the best word, but maybe just a HUGE realization that Satan is trying SO hard to destroy the family and he's succeeding in many cases (that's the scary part). The church has dedicated so many lessons, talks, articles to pornography and you know they wouldn't keep going over it if it wasn't such a big problem. The thing that freaks me out is how addictive pornography is and how anyone can get sucked into it...you can't stereotype the kind of people that will fall into the trap because there are so many different kinds of people it ensnares; it isn't like the profile for murderers or adulterers...it can be good people that you never thought would like your brother, neighbor, husband or even your pristhood leader. So how do you even combat this? I've put parental control on our TV to block out certain things and I know half the password and Travis knows the other half, so neither one of us can unlock it with out the other; I need to put a filter on our internet (even those aren't perfect though); its kind of discouraging though, because Pornography is everywhere. You can't walk around with your eyes covered all the time. Its not just the rated R movies or the Playboy magazines. Its all over the TV (I'm surprised all the time what the parental control lets in); all over what used to be "ok" magazines (Have you seen Sports Illustrated lately...Holy crap...they don't even wear swimsuits anymore!), and those sorts of images stay with you forever...that's why its so addictive. I also heard a stat that says that every one of the serial killers for the past 25 years says they were addicted to pornography! Are you kidding me?! How scary is that? Despite how widespread this plaque is, I do know that it is possible to refrain. We just have to do all the things we know we are supposed to do anyway...read our scriptures, be obedient, go to church, go to the temple, keep our relationships strong, so that we can have the spirit and the Lord on our side to give us strength. Now if only I can apply all of that so I can have faith instead of the fear that's in me right now.
Wow, talk about venting. It's so good for me to solidify my thoughts sometimes and you, the readers of my blog, get to be the lovely recipients :)
I can't end on that serious note, so I've included a couple pictures from this weekend. We went to the drive in with some friends and saw Get Smart. We had an air mattress and a love sac on top of that, and all of our pillows and blankets from both our houses! It was so comfortable that everyone fell asleep (except me)...but it really was a good, funny movie, so we'll just have to see it again!

Random things about me

I got tagged (the whole "tagging" concept is still a little odd to me, but its fun so I'll do it)...here goes, a little deeper look into my life.

Three Joys

1. Being married to Travis- he's such a great husband and friend; always thinking of me; always making me laugh; I just love him!

2. My niece and nephews- who knew you could love someone else's kids so much!

3. Lately...reading. I forgot how much I enjoy reading! If any of you have books you would recommend, send em my way.

Three Fears

1. Biggest by far is something happening to Travis! I worry about that so much...I'm hoping that my faith will kick in here soon, so I'm not living in fear. But seriously, I don't know what I would do with out him.

2. Not being able to get pregnant or having it take a really long time.

3. Spiders/Bugs- Compared to the first two, this one seems very trivial, but I absolutely hate them! I'm sure there's a purpose for them that I'll find out in heaven, but for right now they are just here to torture me.

Three Goals

1. Learn to sew- I haven't sewn anything since the apron in 8th grade sewing class, but I really want to learn.

2. Go to the temple every month- this is a big one, seeing as how we've only been twice in the 9+ months we've been married!

3. Fit into my white capris- I have this way cute pair of white capris that are a bit too tight at the moment and I really want to be able to wear them by the end of the summer!!

Three Obsessions

1. Decorating my house- I see things or think of things all the time that I want in my house or want to do to my house...now if I only had the time/money to do so! I keep telling myself a little bit at a time!

2. Exercising- I can't get enough...I love completing a workout all sweaty and exhausted, knowing I just kicked my butt!

3. Clorox dissenfecting wipes- Use 'em everywhere in my kitchen! I don' t know what exactly brought this on, but I feel like my kitchen can never be clean enough...there are always germs everywhere. The best part is, you throw them away...the crap that you just wiped up doesn't sit infesting on a rag!

Three Random Facts

1. I have to fall asleep facing the wall- it doesn't matter what side of the bed I'm on, I have to be facing out.

2. I hate feet- anyone and everyone's, including my own. I think they are gross and ugly...I will freak out if they get near me.

3. I'm that boring, married, go to bed early person I thought I would never be. We get up early, and I don't function well at all without my sleep. And when you don't have to say goodbye at night, there's really no point in staying up late...unless we're out doing stuff of course.

I now tag Buffy, Amber, Holly (welcome to the blogging world), Rissa, Ashlee (haha), Haley, Annie, Tonii, Carly, Natalie and anyone who reads this. Its fun to know random stuff about you guys, so your it!

What a nice weekend!

Weekends are the best...I just love them. Especially this one...we had such a great weekend! Friday night was spent spent with my husband, Chinese Takeout, and a movie- always a good combination in my book. Saturday Travis had to work in the morning, and I went to my favorite class at Lifetime- Total Conditioning! It is such a hard class and kicks my butt everytime, but I love it and I love feeling like I couldn't possibly do one more pushup, jump, lunge, or whatever it may be and then feeling so good once I did! When I got home, I attempted to start cleaning, but Cooper wanted to play and I was getting frustrated with him not letting me get things done, so I took him on a walk to release some of his energy. Along the way, our friend was out with her two big labs, and once Cooper got over his initial fear, he had so much fun chasing them around...which ended up being perfect for me because he was so worn out the whole rest of the day! By the time we got back from our walk, Travis was home and we took a nice, long nap. I love naps and I never get to take them, so this was awesome! We got up, ate our delicious Chinese left overs, cleaned, and then went to the temple with Bryndie and Blake. We have been so bad about going to the temple...I was so glad we finally went! Sunday we went to church and then headed over to Travis' parents for dinner. Rissa, Ryan and the twins were in town for the day, so it was great to see them! I absolutely love those babies, I can't get enough of them! All in all, a wonderful relaxing weekend...just what it should be!

This was actually taken a couple weeks ago when we went to see Kung Fu Panda, but I had to put it up because Jace is so stinkin cute! He is completely obsessed and so excited for Walle to come out and he just had to give Walle a hug when he saw this cardboard cut out at the theatre! Gotta love him!
Here's cute Chance and Trav. Travis is so cute with all the nephews and nieces...I love watching him with them..he's going to be the cutest dad..........one day!
They are getting so big and I swear, get cuter each time I see them! Check out the rolls on little Logan...so cute!
Travis and I gave her these shoes (you can't really even see how cute they are from the pictures, but they are the cutest shoes I've seen...I'm totally going to be an Indian giver when I have a little girl!) and of course she loves to chew on them. Don't worry, they're clean cause she can't walk in them :)
Here's me and my Logan! I'm going to miss them all so much when the move...boo to Kansas :)

The story of Us

Seeing as how this is pretty much my only form of journaling, I decided I needed to write down the story of how we came to be. This is totally just for me, so feel free to bail out now if you don't care for all the details :)

We met back in July of 2006. I had just graduated from BYU with my Exercise Science degree and was hired at RPT, Inc. as an Exercise Specialist. Travis had been working there for about a year as an Athletic Trainer. We worked together and were just friends for about 6 months, but I secretly had a crush on him and was always excited when our shifts crossed.

Around December, we started to interact more, talk on the phone, text, etc. I, at the time was dating two guys, neither of them going anywhere (Travis knew all about them and loved to push my buttons and give me crap). This is where (as I would come to find out at our wedding dinner) Travis told his brother "I could get her to date me!" Obviously it was true. Travis was extremely smooth about asking me out for the first time, if you can even call it that. This was in January, and I was going out of town to visit my friend up in Seattle. Before I left, he said something to the effect of "It's too bad your going out of town...my favorite comedian is in town and I was going to see if you wanted to go to his show..." So smooth...what a way to let me know he wanted to ask me out, without actually having to ask me out...totally leaving the ball in my court! The next weekend after I got back, he called me on his way home from a basketball game and I had just gotten home from work. My little sister asked me to take her and her friend to Coldstone while I was on the phone with him, so I asked Travis if he wanted to go with us. For those of you who don't know me, this was a BOLD move for me. I never initiated anything with any guy! He came to my house, it ended up that my two little brothers also wanted to join the fun, so our first "hang out" was with all my little siblings! When we got back, we stayed and chatted with my mom for a bit and my little brother asked Travis if "he was going to marry my sister?" I died, and Travis just laughed. It was that night that he won my mom over...she was so impressed by how easy it was to have him around and how comfortable he seemed! (By this time, the other two guys were pretty much out of my mind, completely) We hung out a couple times the next week, but didn't have our first "official" date for a couple weeks. We went to the comedy show, Laughing Stock, with his siblings and their spouses. Our first kiss was that night, but I have to preface and tell about the night before. He came over to watch a movie with Blake and Bryndie and I. We had our first cuddling during the movie, and when we were saying goodbye at my door, I was so nervous that he was going to kiss me! Not that I didn't want him to, I was just freaking out a little because things had moved so quickly. He sensed this, and kissed me on the forhead instead. Wow...talk about melting my heart! It was the sweetest thing, and I'm pretty sure after that I was goner. It only took me a day of freaking out and by the next night I was ready...and the first kiss was awesome! Most first kisses aren't so great, but ours was! After that, we pretty much were with each other everyday. I knew things were different with him because it was SO easy to date him! I was myself all the time and extremely comfortable from day one. We never played any of the stupid "dating games" and I never was worried about things like "is he going to call today" or "is it too soon to go out again." Our whole relationship just flowed without any worry. He always made me feel very secure and I loved that.

We first said I love you in April. I think it was on his birthday, but I'm not positive...how bad is that, I'm already forgetting...this is why I'm writing this stuff down. I had known I was in love with him for a few weeks now and my emotions were literally going to explode if I didnt' tell him soon. I even contemplated telling him first! What?! Yet another thing I never thought I would do! I had told myself that if he didn't say it that weekend, I was going to. Luckily for me, he told me he loved me that night, while we were down in my basement just laying there talking. It was perfect and I was so happy to tell him it back. He couldn't have told me at a more perfect time, I needed to have come to the conclusion that I loved him on my own time and if he had said it before then, I would have freaked out. He timed everything so well!

We first talked about marriage the end of May. We were again just sitting on my couch talking and he brought it up...of course perfectly timed and thought out...he asked a few leading questions and then asked "where I wanted the relationship to go?" Once again, he played his cards perfectly because if I would have really been thinking, I would have been the one to bring it up...then he would have had to answer first...but no, he was the smart one and I was left to say that I wanted to marry him first. It was the same situation as knowing I was in love with him...I knew I wanted to marry him, but if he would have brought it up any sooner, I would have freaked out. But he didn't, and I was completely ready to tell him I wanted to marry him. So I did, and he said the same, and that night we decided we were getting married...and in September! I had always wanted to get married in September...I always wanted a garden reception and September is perfect. I'm sure when he contemplated bringing up marriage that night, he had no idea I was going to say we get married so soon. I kept on asking him if he thought it was too soon, and he said no (whether he really thought so or not), so I went with it. I mean if we knew we were going to be married, why not do it when I had always dreamed?

We didn't "officially" get engaged until June 29th. Travis picked out my ring all on his own (he asked what I wanted and the only thing I had told him was that I loved the "trialliant" cut, but I had only seen it two or three times...I really didn't think he was going to get one) so I had no idea when it was coming. Come to find out, he had to have the diamond specially cut (to a trialliant) and the setting for the ring made so it could fit, and that took a couple weeks. So here I am being impatient and wondering why he's waiting so long, while he is having the ring of my dreams made. I'm a brat. I also got really, really sick that month. Sicker than I've ever been. After a few rounds of antibiotics not working, steroids, and blood tests, I found out I had mono, strep, and some stomach virus! No wonder I wanted to die at the time. So for about a month I didn't feel like doing anything. Travis got to learn the true meaning of "in sickness and in health" a bit early and was SO wonderful to come over and sit there with me while I laid on his lap doing nothing, day after day. I was not fun, and he was so sweet...I kept telling him he didn't have to come over cause I knew I was boring, but he did anyway and I loved him for it. So finally my body combatted whatever warfare was going on inside and I felt good enough to actually go out and do something. It was a Friday night and I told Travis I wanted to go play catch at the park. Travis taught me how to play catch, bought me my first glove, and this was something that we always did while we were dating. We were playing catch and Travis purposely threw the ball so that I would miss it (wasn't that hard to do) and while I chased the ball, he pulled the ring out of his pocket. He started walking towards me and I told him to wait, I wasn't done playing yet. He kept on walking and said "Catch" and threw the ring box at me. I, of course dropped it (to my defense, it was pretty dark) and picked it up. When I realized what it was, I started shaking so bad. He took it from me and got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! Just like everything else in our relationship, the proposal was perfect...nothing elaborate, not in front of people, just romantic and meaninful! We were married 2 1/2 months later on September 15, 2007. I loved everything about that day! The temple ceremony was amazing, our sealer was powerful, and the reception was beautiful! Couldn't have asked for more.

So, a novel later, you now know our story. I'm so glad I finally wrote it all down. I love Travis more than I ever thought possible and absolutely love being married to him!

(Oh and the pictures at the beginning are just some random ones when we were dating. I had wanted them to be inbetween my writing, but I'm still a little retarded when it comes to posting and it didn't work out how I wanted. Oh well!)

Family Pictures

We got family pictures taken with the Turners a couple weeks ago. I think they turned out really good! A family friend of theirs took them at Gardner Village and she did awesome! So here's some of my favorites....

The whole bunch
Ryan, Marissa, Chance and Logan
Bryan, Ashlee, Jace and Cole....if you only could have seen this kid during this shoot...dancing and singing all over the place...finally we got him to smile "normal" in a couple! He's so stinkin cute!
Dallin, Joslyn and soon to be baby Jayden

Crazy sibling picture

Finally....

It only took me about 8 months, but I finally painted my kitchen! I have been wanting to do it for awhile now, and I even got the paint (yes, this was 8 months ago) but I just haven't found the time to sit down and do it. I decided this was pathetic and I just needed to set a time and get it done, so on Wednesday I left work early and my mom came and helped me! It turned out SO good and I love it! It's amazing what a little (ok in this case, a lot) color can do for a room! The only problem is now I totally have a bug in me to do all the other little projects I have in my head to finish decorating my house....one thing at a time right?! I was so glad to have my mom there willing and able to help! She's awesome and is very particular/anal about painting so we worked perfect together!
So here it is...I haven't put up anything back up on the walls yet...I'm still waiting for the paint to dry all the way. And I had to get rid of my table runner...it was a little bit different red and clashed. So I need to find another. I'm thinking of finding some fabric and doing a valance for the windows and a table runner, we'll see.

Girls Trip to Cali!

I just got back from a wonderful weekend in California with my mom and my sister! We had such a fun weekend, and let me just say that I so needed this! Work has been really stressful lately and I just needed to get away for a bit. This was the first time that I have been away from Travis and I'm not going to lie...I really missed him. I know lots of people have to go longer amounts of time and more frequently with out their husbands, but I am SO glad I don't! It felt weird to have him not there all the time...I was definitely glad to come back to him...not Utah though. I absolutely love California! Our whole purpose in going to California was to see Wicked and it was INCREDIBLE! Hands down the best show I've seen, you know one of those rare ones that give you chills, yep that was it. I was surprised at how different the story really was compared to what I gathered from the soundtrack. I don't even know what to say except everyone needs to see this! The cool thing was that one of my best friend's Kim was in LA on business that week and was supposed to fly out that night (Thursday), but we had an extra ticket so she changed her flight and came with us! It was great to have her there for a night! The rest of the weekend was spent at the beach, the pool, shopping, and eating...what more could you ask for!

My sister really wanted to go to the San Diego Temple, so we headed down to San Diego on Saturday for the rest of our trip. I was so glad we did...not only is the temple absolutely gorgeous, but I fell in love with San Diego...it's awesome!
Just a random, weird, sisters posing on the beach moment! (I finally added a little bit of color to my pale skin :)


Me, Kim, My mom, and Ali in front of the theatre

Us taking a walk along the bay in San Diego...so beautiful!
This was literally right outside of our hotel in San Diego.

Ali and I at the temple....later that night we got asked if we were twins by a guy at the restaurant we ate dinner! Do we really look that similar? Oh and better yet...he then asked which was older! Didn't know how to really take that...I mean come on there's 8 years between us!!
I really have never seen anything as beautiful as the San Diego Temple! I know this is cheesy..but it really is breathtaking!

There's no reason for some of these...I just like taking pictures!

The first attempt at taking this picture ended with my camera crashing down on the ramp....apparently it wasn't stable enough to handle me running down the ramp, trying to beat the timer on my camera. Luckily there was a nice fisherman willing to take it for us.