We're Going to Boston!

Yes, it's true! In a couple of weeks Cory and I will be in Boston for 6 days!! I cannot wait to go. I've never been even remotely close to the east coast, so this will be a totally new experience for me. Cory absolutely drools over everything Boston, so I will have the best tour guide ever. We don't have much planned as of now, but I'm sure there will be lots of seafood (for Cory), baseball (for us both), and some shopping? :) Maybe. But I know for sure that it will be a blast. [Actually, as a side note, my straightener broke a couple of weeks ago and I was just going to make do until Christmas or something, but since humidity and my hair are not friends, I just bought one yesterday! :)]  When we were dating, Cory and I both found that we shared a strong love and desire to travel.  When we were married we set up a separate account called "World Traveling Fund".  This is our first trip using that fund and we are more than elated to be doing it! I wish we could be going with friends or family, but this will be such a nice trip for just the two of us as well. Especially since my crazy semester of 19 credits will be starting up very (too) soon. We both have been working full time this summer, which means zero outdoor time. We. Are. Dying.  Like I'm whiter than I am in the winter.

Even whiter than winter white!

Just for looks... :)

 Not too fun. We are, however, a little tentative about spending so much in one week-especially after such a grueling summer of work. It's amazing how much things add up when you are on vacation; breakfast, lunch, dinner, outings, adventures, etc., are not cheap! I have been looking on Groupon and LivingSocial in Boston everyday for deals on things we may be interested in. I haven't found anything yet, but maybe all of my hard work will pay off and we'll save money on something! I'm just so excited!

Todchel!

Our good friends, Todd and Rachel, are getting married this weekend and I am so excited!!! We have loved spending time with them as an engaged couple, but things will only get better once they're married! I'm so happy for them, and I'm so excited because Cory and I are both in the wedding party. It will be like we're getting married all over again! :) But really, it will be fun to get to spend more time together than if just one of us were in it. We are anticipating an evening filled with fun and friends, surrounded by a beautiful view at Rachel's parents' house in Huntsville. Can't wait! Congrats Todchel, we love you two!

Lunchtime!

Sometimes I wake up and I realize that I am so lucky! Like today.  I just love waking up to Cory's cute little sleepy face kisses.  The other day I woke up and stole his phone to take a picture of him sleeping (which he hates for some reason) because he looked so so cute! I don't know if I was even coherent at that point, but I knew I had to take that picture.  I, on the other hand, do not look so great in the mornings which could be due to my hyper movements at night. Work has been such a drag recently. I think coming down from the vacation high is always hard (Lake Powell sunshine 24/7 is hard to get over period), but recently Cory and I have been able to eat lunch together and it is so nice! It's like a little mini vacation. :) We usually meet in the Wilkinson Center, where he is working, and spend about 45 minutes together in total bliss; not only because we're eating together, but because we are finally eating! It's so nice to be working so close to each other to sneak away for a little lunch/vent/laugh break.  I'm so lucky.

I tried to get Cory to email me that picture-for like 4 days-but he wouldn't! Sorry, no picture. :(

hooked.

I have become hooked! Pinterest has taken a hold of my heart and I cannot get it back. It's an amazing site that lets you "pin" your interests onto boards and even lets you look at others' boards too so you can steal their ideas! :) I wish I had it for my wedding. It is the perfect party planning tool. I haven't been able to go a day, at work, without looking at it. If you're like me and stalk all sorts of blogs daily, this is the perfect place to keep all those projects that you see and want to do in order.

You can plan your dream home too!

or plan the places you want to go, like Italy!

It's so fun. Also, since I'm advertising today, I guess I'll go ahead and put a plug in for Google+. My coworker invited me to it a couple weeks ago and although I still have a lot to learn about it, I am loving the clean, sharp, organized look it has. So there you go! Go ahead and check out my boards on pinterest and if you need an invite to Google+ just let me know and I'll send you one!

We did it!

We ran the Ragnar Wasatch Back and loved it! It was a harder course than the one we did in Las Vegas, but so much prettier and better organized. Cory killed. He had the hill that the whole race is named after, the Ragnar Hill, and he ran it like a champ! It's 4 miles straight up a mountain where he started in 50 degree weather and ended in 8 feet of snow and 37 degrees. And that was his last leg-which is always the hardest.

Just one of the many mountains to climb. So pretty!

These were never right. I swear they lied.

He also was the best husband and switched me first legs. His was a little bit longer than what I would've had, but way more flat. It was so nice of him! We had a great time with everyone in our van and we celebrated our 1st anniversary at the same time one of our van-mates was celebrating his and his wife's 23rd! It was a crazy coincidence. After the race we soaked in the hot tub, ate some delicious steak prepared by Cory's dad, and slept as long as we possibly could. We spent Father's Day celebrating with my Mom's family and it was so fun to be with them. It had been a while since we'd seen them and having some more delicious steak was the icing on top! :) Can't wait for more adventures this summer!!

A Letter.

Dear Married Life,

Oh how you pass me by so quickly.

Our 1 year is quickly approaching and it feels as though it has been seconds.

Truth be told, I was warned.

But that didn’t make it any easier to comprehend.

As I recall the different experiences you have brought me-

the good, the bad, the mediocre, the incredible, I feel an impulsive desire to never forget these memorable moments. 

Memories like our first camping trip and realizing that a sleeping bag would have made a big difference, 

our first Olympic triathlon where Cory smoked all competitors and finished just 45 minutes behind the winner and I…, well I finished (we’re pretty, ah hem, even competitors),

a mud run that turned us into muddy messes,

our first athletic class (tennis) as a married couple instead of dating and meeting (volleyball) where Cory performed his first act of spousal abuse by serving 90 mph into my arm,

 great conference seats compliments of Cory’s mission president,

the first of many more birthdays together as husband and wife,

a Halloween party with friends,

Ragnar Relay Las Vegas where, once again, Cory dominated when he ran up a 10 mile mountain,

Baby blessings and time with family,

Getting back to our place of engagement and enjoying the pretty lights there,

A missionary goodbye to my brother,

A cousin’s baptism, 

Trip home for our very first married Christmas and then coming back to see the Nutcracker,

And trips together that help us remember why we love the sun.

This husband of mine...we have experienced almost every emotion together.

happiness

tears

joy

regret

peacefulness

content

forgiveness

frustrations

unconditional love

Yet, at the same time, I feel as though we haven't even begun to scrape the surface. 

How do we make sure that we are making the most of every second we have together?

How do we make sure that we don't take this wonderful life of ours for granted?

How do we ensure that we are not living for tomorrow to only create "empty yesterdays..." (President Thomas S Monson)

There are times when we both do or say something we shouldn't. There are times when we don't treat each other for who we really are and take into account the potential that both of us have. 

But those are so few and so far between. And I am married to someone who is humble, charitable, and loves unconditionally.  Mainly I realize that I am blessed.  I see how the simple parts of marriage, which can seem so mundane, bring the peace and joy that all of us seek for. I am grateful for the knowledge that I have of what really brings joy.

Car rides, 

cleaning together,

greeting each other (especially after long days),

running together,

“sleep-overs” in our living room,

scaring each other,

cooking together,

eating together,

cuddling together,

soaking up the sun together,

shopping together,

being competitive together,

laughing together,

teasing each other,

and ending each day knowing that I’m sleeping next to the greatest source of happiness ever.

"It is so rewarding to be married. Marriage is wonderful. In time you begin to think alike and have the same ideas and impressions. You have times when you are extremely happy, times of testing, and times of trial, but the Lord guides you through all of those growth experiences together." Elder Richard G. Scott

So I thank you, married life, for bringing me joys that I had never experienced before.

Love,

Bree

Sold!

Yes! We did it, we sold our couch! We listed our couch on KSL about a month ago and sold it last week. We bought it off of KSL for $200 and it sold for $500, so we were pretty happy. We steam cleaned it which made it look a little nicer, but really we just got it for a screamin' deal. On Memorial Day we went to RC Willey with a budget of $1000 and dreams of a sofa - love seat combo with recliners. Little did we know that we would fall in love with a set at the whopping price of $1899. No go. So we dejectedly left and tried to console ourselves with the hope that we would have enough after the next couch flipping from KSL.

 But we really wanted a new couch, one that we could claim as our own and never wonder who else had been doing what on it. :) We told ourselves that we deserve it because our whole house is furnished with only three items from a store. Everything else is KSL or hand-me-down. Which is so awesome, but it was time for us to make a big decision and buy a couch. From a store! On a whim we decided to go check out a place in Provo called Best Deal Furniture. Upon pulling up to the "business" we were pretty hesitant on what it would offer. It was in the most ghetto part of town that we had never been to before and the lettering on the window said "Store Hours: Mondy-Saturday". Mondy! There wasn't even a space for the 'a', like maybe it had fallen off or something.

But we went in and we were pleasantly surprised! It was an actual store with great furniture! We fell in love with a set that was even better than the one at RC Willey and it was within our budget! We couldn't have been happier, but then they gave us free pizza too! :) Anyway, we don't have it yet, but when we do I'll give you a real picture of the beautiful piece of furniture that stole our hearts.

Glow in the dark couch? Um, yes.