One Year Anniversary!!!

Can I honestly say that I have been married to the love of my life one year ago today???! It blows my mind to know how fast this year has gone by. Time really does fly when you are having fun. :) Instead of the usual update, I would like to share some interesting and fun facts about our first year of marriage.






Here is what we have learned about each other that we didn't know a year ago:

What Collin has learned about me:
-Doing the dishes is my least favorite chore.
-I have a tendency to leave the lights on.
-I am NOT a morning person.  
-I like to sleep on my left side.
-I get embarrassed if people come into our apartment and it's messy.
-I am a very crafty person. 

What I learned about Collin:
-He doesn't like to clean the bathroom
-He can fall asleep really fast. One minute I'm brushing my teeth, the next minute, he's out!
-He can eat a lot (and might I add, super fast!)
-He has a tendency to leave the cabinet doors open.
-He is very creative when it comes to cooking.
-He NEVER uses the dishwasher! He always washes dishes by hand.
-He listens to everything that I have to say.
-He is a kid at heart. He still watches Saturday morning cartoons and, of course, invites me to join him. :)
-He is Christ-like and has so much knowledge of the gospel.
-I can always turn to him for good advice.
-He is completely selfless and wants nothing more than for me to be happy. :)

Our happiest moments together: There's so many! Here are our top five:
-Our wedding day. Truly the happiest moment of our lives.
-Our honeymoon. After all, it did take place in Disneyland. :)
-Spending the holidays together, in California and Virginia.
-Getting two nieces in the same year.
-Everyday when we are together. :)

Favorite meal we have prepared together: 
-Spaghetti carbonara 

Movies we both love watching together:
-Megamind, Peter Pan, Tangled and The Sword in the Stone

Favorite TV shows we've watched together:
-Doctor Who, Psych, Modern Family, and Avatar: The Last Airbender

Favorite thing to do as a couple:
-Collin likes to play cards with me. We challenge each other everyday to see who does the dishes.
-I like watching movies and laughing with him. :)

Our goals and dreams:
-Collin wants to graduate from BYU in 2015. He also wants to get a job with his information technology major. 
-I want to start a family someday and maybe pursue a teaching career.
-We both want to buy a nice house that we can settle down in. 

I am truly in love with my best friend. We've been through so much together and have grown even closer as a couple. We are both complete nerds and have fun saying random things to each other. I've always loved how I can totally be myself around him. He loves me despite the fact that I can be quirky and weird. Everyday, I fall more and more in love with Collin. He is so hardworking and caring. I can honestly say that he is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I still can't believe that out of all the girls that lined up at his door, he picked me to be his eternal companion. He is truly my other half, the apple of my eye, and any other cheesy love line you can think of. :) He has taught me that love is not only about kisses in the sunset and a candlelit dinner, it's about being happy and sacrificing your time to be with your spouse. I feel so blessed to know that he is a big part of my life. I couldn't have asked for a better forever. It's been a wonderful year and I look forward to more years to come. 

Summer Just Keeps Getting Better!! :)

We had a fun and fulfilled 4th of July Week with the fam in town! My in-laws came to visit from Virginia, Colorado, and California to spend time with us in Utah. They arrived last Wednesday night where we got to catch up and watch people light fireworks. 

Thursday, we woke up early to watch the hot air balloons take off in the sky. Later, Collin had to work while the rest of us went tubing/rafting. It was quite an adventure and the water was anything but warm... While rafting, we all worked as a team to get through the rapids. The song "Just Around the River Bend" came to my mind, so I sang that out loud as I paddled. I felt like Pocahontas for the day. Hehe. ;) I decided to go tubing shortly after. It's actually not as easy as it looks when you go by yourself. I've been tubing before, but not like this. You have to keep using your hands to paddle at all times. At one point, I drifted off course and, without looking behind me, hit my leg on a rock. I ended up with a giant goose egg by the end of the day. Now, it has turned into a big bruise that is slowly healing. Overall, tubing was so fun and a big rush! 

For the rest of the day, we got to go swimming and hot tubbing. We also got to see my sister-in-law Jocelyne, her husband Paul and their adorable daughter, Lila. I was glad I got to spend time with their sweet baby. :) For dinner, we ate at Brick Oven Pizza and took a picture with the Wheeler cousins. :)

Me, Collin, Brett, Justin, and Chase (love his mustache. :) )

On the 4th, we went to watch the Annual 4th of July parade. It was really neat to see all the floats and all the things that represent Utah.  The highlight of the day was seeing the cast of Studio C ride their scooters and give everyone high fives!

This was our fourth of July picture at the parade. :)

We ate lunch at Stan's where we ordered a delicious banana creme milkshake. Mmmm.... We made a bbq chicken dinner along with corn on the cob, rolls, watermelon, and chips. It was all so amazing. My mother-in-law knows how to make good bbq chicken!! We waited until it was dark to watch a firework show near the Stadium of Fire, which occurs every year. 

On Saturday night, we played 4 square with the family while Justin was lighting fireworks which he never got to use for the 4th of July.

Sunday, we went to church and had a break-the-fast dinner at our apartment. Collin perfected himself once again at making pot roast. We made pizookie for dessert along with ice cream and strawberries. We went on a family walk and fed the ducks by the end of the day. 

On Monday we played some pickle ball and did some swimming.Tuesday, we ate at this Mexican place called Los Hermanos. We played outdoor games and went to the BYU creamery. It was our family's last night with us so we said our goodbyes until we would see each other again next month.

I will always cherish these wonderful memories with family, especially with my wonderful in-laws. I couldn't have asked for anything better!

In other news, I recently got a job to work as a nanny this summer! I couldn't have been more excited to have gotten another job. I was trying so hard all summer to look for a job. I have had two other nanny jobs turn me down. At first, I felt discouraged, but didn't give up on getting interviews. When I got a call about the nanny job, I felt a new door open to possibilities. I nanny for a 5-year-old girl in her home while her parents go to work. It has been really great to get to know her and do some fun activities!

I also received a new calling in my ward as a relief society 1st counselor! I honestly couldn't believe it at first, but graciously accepted the calling. When I was single, I had a calling as a 2nd counselor in a student ward, so I knew what to expect from this calling. I look forward to serving the ladies in the ward and hope and pray that I can be a good example to them. My calling will be busy, but I like keeping busy so that is not a problem. :)

It comes to show that the Lord does hear and answer our prayers. You know He is there when blessings come to your doorstep. We have been praying for months that I would find a summer job, and I felt like they were heard when I received that phone call about the nanny job. Heavenly Father really does know when we are in need and comes to our rescue. I am so grateful for the blessings that Collin and I have as a couple. Even though there will be hardships, He is there to pick us up and lead us to happiness.