My Birthday Week

Well, you never know what life is going to throw at you. This week I reconnected with someone and I'm so happy about it. 

On Monday, I watched a butt ton of One Tree Hill and made a Valentine's Ceaft that I found online. Seth and I went to the gym together, and made dinner together. Then we had FHE about love and we took the Love Languages quiz online. Lately we've been having pantry food that we've had forever. But today I did buy some produce (smoothies here we come again!) Seth played video games with his brothers and I read a bunch of stuff. The book club book this month is "No Doubt About It," by Sheri Dew. I've read it before, but long ago when everything seemed happy-go-lucky. Something rang really true though that has been happening to me, and I've been letting it go on for far too long. And it's about Lucifer, Satan, the Devil. He wants me to rise to an unhealthy, defeating, discouraging level of perfection. God knows that it will be impossible in this life to achieve perfection, but Satan wants us to think that we need to be perfect now. He loves using guilt on us in a way that makes us so defeated and miserable, whereas the Holy Ghost inspires us to do a little better and be a little better. Sadly, I've let this go on and affect me in terrible ways. And least now I remember that those mean feelings to myself DONT come from God. They come from someone that wants me to be unhappy and feeling like I will always fall short, no matter what. It sucks.

Seth and I have been reading scriptures together in the morning, which has made a really big difference. I get so much more out of it than reading from phones in bed before we fall asleep. And on Sundays, we read half an hour. We also decided last week that we are gonna try and go on a walk together every Sunday. I've also been reading scriptures on my own. The more I read, the more I want to read. Funny how that happens.

Also on my rant I'll say this: Provo isn't my favorite place in the world.

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On Tuesday, Ashley did my hair and I felt so pretty on that day. It looks good! And we got to hang out just us girls.

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Friday was my bIrThDaY! I feel like I'm in middle school when I do that capital-lowercase thing. But Seth sure did make me feel special, and more people did too.  Made me breakfast in bed, and gave me a massage even while I was eating it! He just is so sweet and wonderful. Later he brought me flowers, then my parents came down to Provo and took me to lunch and hung out! It was so nice of them. Awhile after Seth was done with school for the day, we headed to Salt Lake and went to Olive Garden (thanks for the gift card Marsha and Joe!), then went to Anniversary Inn and stayed in theVenice  suite :) There were rose petals strewn about the floor and it was just oh-so romantic. Seth even brought my presents and snacks for the night into the room. Awe :)

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We had a nice day of love and I'm so grateful for our eternal love and commitment we have for each other. I'm so lucky to have Seth as my hubby. He really is just a precious sweet wonderful guy.

-t&s 

February 1-7

Just a quick post about what's going on in our lives:

Some nights, I just don't want to make anything. 

Seth's concrete canoe is underway and it looks AWESOME! 

One of Seth's mission presidents and his wife sent us the picture of Christ. We really like it!

Also, Bajios. We are just in love with the carne asada steak chimichangas. <3

<3

-t&s

January 25-31: Yay January is almost over!

This week Seth and I started working out. I bought a wristband, which mean unlimited access to fitness classes at the BYU gym!! Yay I'm excited!! Last week after the first couple classes, especially the 2nd (a class called "Ripped"), I was soooo sore. Boo yah. It feels good to workout.

PIZZA :)

Saturday was a good one. I made cinnamon rolls and Sethy had some school work to do.

I'm proud of him! He's on the concrete canoe team for BYU and they put in the reinforcement on Saturday for it, using bamboo. 

Then we had lunch together and later went on a date which included the mall, Bajios, and Wal-Mart for groceries and a movie. At the mall, we went to 2 stores. One of them happens to be my favorite store ;) where he let me buy stuff for myself ;) The other, was Tai Pan Trading Company. Let me tell you, we got some cheap cute dishes! And I was worried that Seth was gonna bump into stuff and knock it over. But he makes me laugh. Also, Bajios is so delicious. Thier carne asada steak chimichanga is the absolute best. We ended up getting 2 movies out of the $5 bucket; "Taken" and "Bounty Hunter." And you better believe we watched both.

I've also been struggling thinking of what to do with my hair. I just don't know!!! I need a change, or at least a good hair cut. I need to cut some of it off, and I might do more ;)

Seth went to the eye doctor and dentist recently (thumbs up). 

NEWISH GOALS
call family on Sundays
visit grandparents in Provo every about 3 weeks
read scriptures in the morning before work/school together
read scriptures individually everyday as well

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My birthday is coming up. It's the day before Valentine's Day. And Seth and I are going on a mini-honeymoon ;) I am incredibly excited. And pretty soon, we will have been married for 8 whole months. I'm so grateful for Sethy and the wonderful adventure that marriage has brought into our lives. I've felt the most love that I've ever felt. He's so special to me. And excuse me for going off on a love rant, but he's the best thing that's ever happened to me. He's incredibly patient, kind and loving. He just wants me to be happy and not to mention his looks. :O Ah that sexy beast! He's such a good husband!!! And he's also excited to see me when he gets home. I love it. And he just has funny things that he does that are so cute.

Found that the other day from our reception. It makes me happy. I love you my sweetie pie handsome hubby!

:)

-t&s

January 18-24

What do I love?

Lately I've just been feeling kinda lost. Yes, I got my degree in teaching. I have my teaching license in Utah and Wyoming. I taught a year, now subbing. But I just want a job I love.... Yeah, subbing is okay but not the best. I just have not been feeling truly like myself. I need to remember and also realize and discover I what I love. Not anyone else, just me. I've had so much stress in the last while. Moving and starting a new job in Rock Springs, which was a really hard time in my life. Being engaged long distance while trying to make it worthily to the temple was so hard. The job I had. Then, I got married to my love and best friend (which is wonderful, but a stress. A change.) Moved home. Then moving again to Provo. And now, living in Provo. And there's more than what I have mentioned. It just doesn't truly feel like home here yet. But I think that as I become involved in things and get to know people and hang out with friends and family here, it will feel more like home.
    
Also I think that making my house more of a home will make it feel more like our home. We need to invite the Spirit into our home more through pictures, and more scripture reading, and making it a nice environment for feeling at peace. By doing things activities together where we can enjoy each other's company and get to know each other.

So, back to the question: what do I love?

Obviously, I love Seth. So much. He's everything to me. But I need to have a balanced life, and that means loving other things too.

I love having worry free sister and girl time... Hanging out and vegging out and just laughing and stuff.

I love feeling and looking pretty.

I love flirting and going on adventures with my babe.

I love traveling.

I love going out to eat.

I love watching movies/tv.

I also love reading, working out, blogging, cooking, baking, having a clean and organized house, making cute things for my house, shopping at VS ;) 

***

I need to enjoy who I am and what I have now, and take less time dwelling on the past and other things that take me away from the present. Remember what I want to be. I want to be a mother in Zion and raise a beautiful family. I want to keep a strong and healthy marriage. I want to live a healthy lifestyle and just be happy. I want to just continually build my testimony and improve my life and have balance. I want to feel productive. I want to accept and love myself more and to not be so hard on myself.

***

Take some time and rediscover who you are, what you love, and what makes you, you. Remember who you want to be, and live that way.

-t&s

January 11-17

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So I decided to make a turkey. I got it awhile ago and I've never cooked one, so I figured I would try. Eventually I'll be hosting my own Thanksgiving dinner! It actually turned out! The gravy was very salty though. And we have extra meat now in the freezer ;) Seth even came home from school and used a YouTube video of how to carve a turkey ;) And he did a wonderful job!

***

Seth and I went to a Chinese restaurant and there was this lady flipping out about soup ... Wow. Sounds like the cops were called and the lady (we think it was her) was sitting outside in her car when we left. We think waiting for the cops. Haha.

Another highlight of the week was going to a hockey game. We were there with Mark and Ashley, the engaged couple :) I'd never actually been to a hockey game before, but I liked it! 

***

Saturday~~ Seth didn't feel good :/

But a highlight is that we ate a bunch of junk food and watched 2 Harry Potters <3

xoxo

-t&s 

January 4-10 School Starts

This week school started for Seth. It was a stressful week, but we are still so blessed to have each other! And be married! Here are some highlights:

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Dinner! I made a soup mix that we got for our wedding from a couple of my sisters. It was delish. I also made bread! It turned out great and was sooo delicious with butter and homemade raspberry jam.

Here is the bread, I got the recipe from allrecipes.com. It's called Amish White Bread

http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/6788/amish-white-bread/

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Friday! Yay for Fridaayyyyssss. We went downtown and tried a place called 22 Café or something and it was interesting but good!  Below is chicken and waffles... Which neither of us have never tried before this! Interesting but good :) The chairs were mixed and matched, and they served our water in mason jars. After dinner, we got a red box and had a night in :)

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Saturday was a long day but good! Seth is an angel for driving the whole way to Green River and back. We went up in the  morning and saw this beauty.

My sister-in-law Lily got baptized on Saturday and became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. What a special day for her! We were glad we could be there for it!

***

We left Green River after Marsha generously got some cheap gas for us (thank you!), and headed to Evanston. We wanted to visit some family. Allie and them are moving to Washington. It was so good to hang out with them! Grandpa came to dinner too. We hope the Hoopes love it over there!!! 

***

Oh, and did I mention that Seth stopped at Mile Marker 39 on the way home from GR? Well, he did. It was our 7 month anniversary.

Our first kiss was here.

And this was also where he asked me to marry him <3 I LOVE you!

Xoxo

-t&s

December 28-January 3: Green River

We left for Green River. It was pretty in the canyon. It was also snowy.

This is what Seth's truck looked like after California!! 

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The family made a music video and I took part. Michelle and Jeremy are still working on it; you'll have to see it when it's done!

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Watching the popcorn pop on the oven.

Cake batter cookies:)

On New Year's Eve, Seth and I helped make dinner (shrimp! Yum!) and we added jalapeño popper dip and BBQ sliders:) Then there were minute to win-it games, a movie and a countdown.

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Found some gems of Sethy. He was and is so so so cute!!! It makes me wonder what our kids will look like someday :)

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And movies and Grey's :)

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On Friday a few of us went swimming, and on Saturday it was Marsha's birthday! Yay! We had herbal tea and English muffins for breakfast, and blts and cannibal sandwiches for lunch. On a cannibal sandwich, you get rye bread and put raw ground beef, salt, pepper, and onions on it. And there were presents and more fun :) We're so thankful for you Mom Harris!!!

Another highlight of the week: A proposal <3 Mark and Ashley are getting married May 2nd in the Manti Utah temple :) Congrats you two.

And back to Provo it was.

Xoxo

-t&s