As 2012 Comes to an End

I know I already blogged once today, but here I am once again. I realized earlier as I was about to blog a wrap up about our crazy awesome year that I never blogged about Christmas. Talk about a slacker. Anyways, back to 2012. Like I said crazy awesome.

January--Went ring shopping
February--Got ENGAGED!
March--Engagement pictures, beach trips, sounders games, and roller skating
April-- Tulip Festival
May-- Another semester of school down for me!
June-- Received my endowment in Seattle with all of my loved ones there
July-- Last beach trip as a single woman, bachelorette party, Got MARRIED to Brad for Time and all Eternity, Honeymoon Cruise to the Bahamas
August-- Moved to Washington State, Turned 21! Lots of blackberry picking!
September-- Became an AUNT to the prettiest baby, Fairs, Company Picnic, Camping
October-- Pumpkin Carving, Hike to La Push, First ferry ride
November-- Went to Zoe's blessing, Moved to New York, Ice Skating at Rockefeller Center, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
December-- First REAL Christmas Tree, 29 inches of snow and counting, HOME to Georgia, sledding & snowman, Christmas lights

So much happened this year and I'm not sure how 2013 will top it! We are feeling so blessed this year and so thankful for the life and joy that we have. We are happy and healthy and looking forward to many more years! Can't wait to see what 2013 has in store for us! Happy New Year! Can't wait to read about everyone's goals, I know it has been our minds a lot lately as we've been nearing the end of the year! Love fresh new beginnings! 

Our First Christmas

Our first Christmas together as a married couple was very low key. We chose to do all of our first holidays by ourselves so it was just the two of us! On Christmas Eve we Skyped with my family so that we could open each others gifts. My mom did a Christmas Eve themed gift which was so fun. We got phase ten, a gift card to go on a date, the hardest puzzle of our lives, the classic Christmas movies, a book of our wedding pictures, and of course Christmas pajamas! On Christmas eve we put on our Christmas pj's and hopped in the car to go to Lights on the Lake where we sipped on my mom's fabulous hot chocolate and listened to Christmas music while driving through a winter wonderland of lights. Christmas day we woke up to Skype with Brad's family to open the gifts they had gotten us. Tyler {Brad's youngest brother} drew our name this year and we got the new dance central game for kinect, we also got calendars, and ornaments for Brad's collection. After we were done skyping with Brad's family we opened our stockings that we did for each other and then made a big breakfast for Christmas Morning. 

Here are some pictures from the two days!

Hope Everyone Had A Merry Christmas!

Looking forward to 2013

Dreams of a White Christmas

All the natives here say this is a "mild" winter. However, this is more snow than I have ever seen in my life combined. Growing up in Georgia you just don't get much snow. So while everyone is blowing off these 5 inches to be mild, I feel like a child in the best winter wonderland, and that dream of a white Christmas will finally come true.The neighbors may laugh at us out there playing in the snow but we might as well enjoy it while we have it.

On Saturday we went out to build a snowman, however it was a failed attempt because the snow was to dry to compact. So we went inside to grab our sleds and head for the hills. However on our way out Brad realized he couldn't find his phone. We looked EVERYWHERE. Turns out that phone got dropped in the snow {see ya in the spring little phone}. Luckily for Brad he was due for an upgrade so he got a new phone. I'm telling you that boy is hitting the jackpot of Christmas gifts! 

Today we went to church. We had a great Christmas Program and I absolutely loved Sunday School. We all shared our favorite scripture of the Savior from the Book of Mormon and shared our testimonies of Jesus Christ, for He is the Greatest Gift to us all. What a great reminder it was for us to remember that He is what Christmas is all about. We missed about half of Priesthood and Relief Society due to the fact that we are getting callings next week! We are so thrilled to be getting put to work! After church we came home, ate lunch, changed, and went to go build a snowman because today the snow was in prime condition for snowman building. We had such a blast and our sweet neighbor even offered to take pictures of us together with our snowman! {Hurray for no awkward stretched out arms or self timer!}

Tonight, the eve of Christmas Eve, we are sleeping under our beautiful Christmas Tree! I can't believe we have kept it green and alive for so long. It hasn't even shed yet! Glad Brad did his research so we could pick a good one!

I can't believe Christmas is already here! This year has flown by and we have so much to be grateful for here in the Schmidt household! Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

Georgia on my mind

This past weekend I was able to go home to Georgia! I always miss my family so much and always enjoy going home and being around them. It had been 5 months since I was home last and I was definitely home sick so Christmas break came just in time! While I was there Mo actually had the day off so we spent it shopping and having girl time. She also worked so hard on making Brad and I Christmas stockings! I'm so lucky that she loves me and was willing to sew for me! I love how they turned out! {THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MOM!}On Saturday, my family headed to Tybee Island for the day. Our family made it a goal at the beginning of the year to go to the beach every month this year and we had to make sure they could cross the month of December off and achieve their goal! Living away from my family has made me realize how precious my time with my family is, and how blessed I am to have each one of them in my life. I love that each one of us has a role and contributes to our family. I am so thankful that families can be together for eternity, because that means I will never be without my best friends! 

Now for some pictures from the trip:

Tybee Island-Beach Trip

Traditional Gingerbread House

Our cute stockings!

 

Home Tour

Now that we have finally gotten all settled in our new home I thought I would give y'all a little preview. 

First up the living room. Our last living room was HUGE so our new space has been a little bit of an adjustment for us, and our new one is laid out kind of funny. I love having a fireplace though, it's been nice to have on all the chilly days we have so often here. 

Next up the kitchen and dining area. Probably my favorite part of our new place is that there is wood floor and a dining area within the kitchen. 

Our bedroom and bathroom are pretty much the same as they were before, just different layouts. So if anyone would like pictures of those leave a comment below and I'll edit the post and add them! 

We are absolutely loving our new place and being so close to Brad's work once again. I hope everyone is getting in the Christmas spirit. We have been blasting Christmas music around here and putting up the few Christmas decorations that we have. I love that we used ornaments as part of our reception decor because we get to put them out every year!

We received a beautiful nativity from the cutest family in my parents ward. It is from Kenya and is made of banana leaves, it is very detailed and we absolutely love it! 

I am going back to Georgia next week for 6 days. I am so excited to see my family and spend some time with them. I have missed them so much! Then it's back to my mancub to spend our first Christmas together as a married couple! We are so excited!

Random Ramblings {Take 3}

I have realized that lately I just blog about random things. I have mixed feelings about this. I am a very Type A personality kind of gal, so I like my order and organization. I would love to have themed posts that release every week on certain days. However, life seems to be full of random thoughts and moments so I feel as though this is the best way to document all of that. So here we go.

We haven't even been living in New York for a month yet but it has been such an incredible change so far. We have already made a couple of new friends from our ward. Speaking of our ward, we absolutely love it. It is small, sweet, and simple. Brad's job here allows him to be home more which makes this wifey happy. Happy wife equals happy life. Our apartment just feels so much more like home here. I am loving having hardwood and tile floors (with radiant heating) and a fireplace (which I'm pretty sure we turn on every day). We have the nicest neighbors here who are so helpful and so kind. Plus we are on the same time zone as our families which makes me super happy.

I absolutely LOVE Christmas. Seriously what's not to love? I have my wonderful mother to thank for my love of Christmas. She does Christmas the best with all her Nativities and themed trees! Brad and I got a real Christmas Tree this year. I have never had one in my life so I am soaking it all in. We had such a great time going to the Christmas Tree farm, picking one out, cutting it down, and setting it up (while listening to Christmas music, of course). I love that we get to incorporate pieces from our reception into our Christmas decorations, we call it our classy Christmas Tree. We are excited to establish our own Christmas traditions this year, plus we will more than likely have a white Christmas since it has already snowed here.   

School is wrapping up for the year for both of us which will give us more time to spend with one another for a little bit. I can't believe we have almost been married for 5 months. Time sure does fly when you're having fun. We are LOVING married life and have such a blast together!

Happy Sunday! I hope everyone has a fabulous week! I will try to post more often to keep everyone updated, I know I've been slacking in this area!

Our First Thanksgiving

Our First Thanksgiving was one I will never forget. Brad and I were lucky enough to spend 3 days in New York City. We left Wednesday at 11 to start the 4 hour trip into the city. It's weird though, we live in New York but had to go through Pennsylvania and New Jersey to get there. Anyways, we ended up getting into the city at 6. Talk about a long and tiring day. However that was just the beginning.

To anyone who may be traveling into the city, the Lincoln Tunnel is a toll road, and it's a $12 toll. Insane I know. First lesson learned: always carry some cash with you on trips. We drove for pretty much a hour trying to find someone who would let us take cash out. Let's just say that was a hard task. 

After we got settled in our hotel we hopped on the subway to go to dinner. We went and ate at the cutest Italian hole in the wall restaurant. Everything was so delicious. Best Italian I have ever had. It was so fun too because it was a family run place, and so everyone was speaking Italian. 

Following dinner, we got back on the subway and headed to Times Square. That place is way more exciting at night. All the lights really bring the place to life! After spending some time at Times Square we headed to the Rockefeller Plaza. Ice Skating at the Plaza has always been a dream of mine. I was thrilled to be there and was taking in every minute. I kept telling Brad to pinch me because I felt like I was in a dream.

Thursday morning we were up by 5 to go save our spot for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade {another bucket list item}. Just in case you didn't know over 3.5 million people attend this parade. That is a lot of people. We stood next to a family who had traveled all the way from Australia to see it. It was so crowded but since we woke up early we only had one family between us and the floats, so we had a pretty good view. It was such a pretty day too, nice blue skies and no snow or rain! It was incredible to see how big the balloons are in real life, and how small the floats actually look in comparison to what they do on TV. 

After the parade ended we headed back to the hotel, the subways were so crowded too since everyone had just come from watching the parade and wanted to hurry home to start their own Thanksgiving festivities. That night we ended up eating dinner at some random restaurant and had a small Thanksgiving Meal.

We had such a wonderful trip and definitely one that will always have a special place in my heart. 

I have so much to be thankful for this year so I will just list 5 things:

1) I am thankful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and to have the knowledge that I have a loving Heavenly Father who blesses me on a daily basis. I am thankful for a Savior who atoned for my sins and that through His sacrifice I am able to return to live with my Father in Heaven.

2) I am thankful for temples and the work that goes on in them. This year I was able to experience the biggest blessing of my life and it is such an incredible blessing that I have to be sealed to the love of my life and to be able to have him beyond the grave. 

3) I am thankful for such an incredible family who serves as my biggest love and support system. I know if I was ever in need I could always turn to them.  Even from far away I can feel their love.

4) I am thankful for Brad. He is such an incredible husband. I feel so lucky to be his wifey. I am thankful for the job he has and that he is able to provide for us. For the priesthood he holds and the spirit he brings into our home. I can't imagine my life without him in it.

5) I am thankful for technology. I would be so sad and lonely without it. The highlight of my day is being able to text my mom. I miss her so much and I can't imagine not being able to have a daily conversation with her. Skype was such a life saver when Brad and I were dating and technology really made our long distance relationship easier. Plus I am able to continue my education all online which is such a blessing.

 I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

I Promise We Didn't Die

Hellooooo Bloggy World!

Glad to be back into the cyber world.

Brad and I have been super busy as of late. 

We moved to the opposite side of the country, to New York.

Things have been a roller coaster here but mostly great.

Living out of a hotel for a week was awesome. I mean who doesn't love getting new towels, unlimited hot showers, a fresh made bed, and complimentary breakfast and dinner. EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.

I'm just saying, I wasn't complaining. 

We got to pick up the keys to our new place on Wednesday, I was so excited! I absolutely love our new apartment. It has a cozy fire place, the complex pays the heat and hot water, and for cable TV. Hello awesomeness.  Plus it's brand new so all the walls are crisp and clean. Oh and did I say it has radiant heating in the floors, perfect for these chilly days. We are supposed to get snow on Saturday. I'm kind of nervous. We pass the snow sticks on the road and they go higher than my hip, I'm only 5'2 but seriously...that is a lot of snow.

Thursday we were supposed to move in but it ended up being Friday. I have already met people here in the complex which is such a relief because I did not know one person in my last complex. I have also made friends in our new {much smaller} ward. I really think we are going to love it here. 

We were supposed to get Internet on Friday, but our technician didn't show up so we just got Internet today. Hallelujah. McDonald's was probably getting tired of seeing us everyday, they have free Internet. Did I mention Brad and I are both enrolled in online classes? Yeah. We were dying.

Anyways just a quick update so you know we still exist. Once the movers come and pick up all our boxes I will post a tour of our new apartment. Until then Happy Thanksgiving, I'll be posting my thankful list soon so keep an eye out! 

A Tribute to Washington

I can't believe the packers are coming tomorrow, bright and early to pack up all our belongings. Brad and I have been having bittersweet feelings as our move has been quickly approaching.We are very excited to see what New York holds for us and have already started talking about things that we would like to do and see while we are there. However, we are sad to see this part of our story come to a close. So here's to Washington. To the place that Brad and I fell in love. To the apartment we lived in as a newlywed couple. To the state where so many memories were made. To Pike's Market, with all the gorgeous flowers, fresh homemade cheese, and the freshest apples. To the Space Needle where Brad and I had our first date, and where Brad got down on one knee to propose. To the Seattle Temple, where I received my endowments and have spent many wonderful date nights with my husband. To Uncle Pete's Pizzeria, who makes the best pizza I have ever tasted. To the wild blackberries at our apartment complex. To many more wonderful and not so wonderful things. Here's to the next chapter in our story book, can't wait to see what comes our way in New York.

This Girl

Means so much to me 

Not only a sister, but a best friend.

She has truly bloomed into such a lovely young lady.

A girl, who everyone should want as their best friend.

One who is so loyal, and stands up for what's right.

Someone who will always reach out and stick up for the underdogs.

I feel honored to be the big sister of such an incredible girl.

A girl who always thinks of others, and was always willing to accompany me to the nursing home.

The people at the assisted living are so lucky to get to have her every Saturday. Tell me how many teenagers you know spending their weekends at the local old folks home.

I can't believe little Colby isn't so little anymore and is a senior in high school.

Just the other day I was taking her to freshman orientation and her teacher asked if we were twins, and in May she will be graduating from high school. Where does the time go? 

Miss Colboa I love you so much and I am so proud of the lady you are becoming. You are such an inspiration to me and are constantly making me want to become a better person. You deserve all the happiness in the world, and will go far in life. Believe in yourself, and know that you are a beautiful daughter of God, you were sent to this Earth for a reason, so reach your full potential. You are my sunshine! Never stop being that ray of light, it affects more people than you know!  

Little Letters

Dear October,

 You really are just passing by so fast! Why don't you just slow down, just for a little bit? Or tell Washington to stop raining so I can go on a hayride to the pumpkin patch with the corn maze and have a bonfire. Half of my fall bucket list has not been completed yet! In fact, tonight we will be at a grand total of 3 things crossed off the list! Slackers over here in the Schmidt household. 

Dear Syracuse,

We traveled last weekend to meet you, and so far so good. We found the perfect place, a brand new apartment {never been lived in} for way cheaper than what we are paying here {score!} oh and did I mention it has a fireplace? {perfection}. We also got to go see our new ward which is way smaller than the one we are in now and I think we are really going to like it. Now I just have to prepare myself mentally for all that snow. {wish me luck!} Oh and please, help me meet people who don't have thick Northern accents, I just don't know how much of that I can handle.

Dear Washington,

 I am trying to find time to enjoy whats left of our time with you, this is technically my last weekend with you. You have been so nice to us, letting us have an extra long summer to enjoy the sunshine and beautiful outdoors. I am kind of sad to say goodbye to the place that we have grown to love. However, I look forward to the new adventures and opportunities that are waiting for us in Syracuse.

Dear November,

I would greatly appreciate it if everything would go smoothly this month. With a trip to Utah to see little Miss Zoe get blessed. Midterms. Packing up and moving across the country to Syracuse. Trip to Georgia to see my family that I've missed so much. Getting all settled and finding a job. Just please, be nice. 

Yours Truly

Brett

La Push

This past Saturday, there was no sleeping in for us. We woke up early {4:00 am to be exact} to get on the first ferry out to La Push. I had never been on a ferry ride or to La Push so I was pretty excited. I have been told that everyone who lives in Seattle has to experience a ferry ride once, and since we move in less than a month, it was crunch time. I however, was more excited for La Push since I had read the Twilight books and seen the movies. Love the books, somewhat like the movies. I'm not a crazy obsessed fan though. You know they were actually filmed in Oregon though. Anyways, getting off topic. 

We drove onto the ferry and went to the little restaurant on board to get some breakfast. We had some amazing cinnamon rolls, and some chocolate milk that was almost as good as my grandpa's. The ferry ride is actually really short, 30 minutes to be exact, so it felt like we got on, ate, then had to get right off. Then we had to drive 4 additional hours to actually get down to La Push.

The beaches of La Push are absolutely gorgeous but so different from they type of beaches I went to growing up. There are three different beaches in La Push too, and we managed to see all three in one day. For the last two we actually had to hike down to the beach. It was so different for me to have to hike through the woods to get to the beach but I think it added to the beauty of the beach in my opinion.

We love to go hiking and love the beach so it was definitely a win-win situation. We enjoyed a picnic on the beach and lots of time to just catch up and talk, and of course take pictures {Brad is such a good sport}. With school we are always so busy, so we always enjoy the little things and the time that we get to spend with one another.

 Happy Wednesday everyone, you've made it half way through the week! :)

the radio likes to make me cry

On Friday night we went to the temple. Honestly such perfect timing with it being General Conference this weekend. Feeling so blessed to be able to hear from our modern day prophet, President Thomas S. Monson and other church leaders. I always love going to the temple and the Seattle temple has a special place in my heart for many reasons. 

On the way home I promise the radio was determined to make me cry. I'll start with I always miss my family. How could I not?! We have been through so much together and the older we get the closer we grow. 

Anyways, anyone who knows me knows I am the biggest Mommas girl around. She is my best friend, my rock, my go to girl, she is the one I tell everything to, etc. All wrapped up in the prettiest package. She gets me, she understands me, she knows my wants, and knows what I am capable of. 

So when the radio played this song I pretty much lost it.

Most of you sit there and think oh but that song is so sweet and so good. That's exactly why it made my cry. Before I graduated high school my mom wrote me a note {fairly common, it's what we do} and said that this song reminded her of me, and that she wished all of that for me. This song will forever remind me of her, it reminds me of her love for me and that she just wants the best for me and she would do anything to make that happen. 

And because the radio thought I didn't shed enough tears it decided to play this song next.

Seriously?! I am newlywed. Haven't even been married for 3 months. I love my dad and all of these emotions are so fresh. I know that my dad loves me so much. He never loses faith in me and is always so proud of my accomplishments and he expresses it. Whenever I make a good grade I will tell my mom and always call him to tell him personally because I know it makes him proud. He was an example of what to look for in a husband and I think I did a pretty good job! :)

Anyways, so there you go. The radio likes to make me cry and that is okay. Because secretly after those songs came on the radio, I've listened to them about 5 more times each. I love being reminded of how I  came to be the person I am today and my parents play the biggest role in how I go to where I'm at and I hope they are pleased and feel as if I'm a job well done!

Hello October

I absolutely love that fall is finally here. The colors of leaves are changing and some of them have already fallen to the ground begging me to step on them for that satisfying crunch. I have already pulled out the sweaters, scarfs, boots, and boot socks. My house smells like creamy pumpkin and you can find a boo banner hanging in between the doors. I am so excited to get a few more Halloween DIY projects done, now that I have a place to decorate. Any suggestions or your favorite Halloween decor?

Last week I went to Utah to finally meet that darling niece of mine and catch up with Afton and my brother in law. Zoe is too cute for words. I had such a fun time cuddling with her, dressing her up, taking pictures with her, and having girl talk. She is seriously the perfect baby and loves when you tell her she is a pretty baby, she will smile so big. And just in case you want to be the 10 millionth person to ask me if I'm baby hungry the answer is NO. 

I also got to meet up with Miss Shae Audrey {and I have no picture to prove it, seriously I'm a slacker.} I seriously love that girl to pieces. We always have such a fun time. We went shopping and got Chickfila. Boy have I missed eating there. Since Washington doesn't have one near and neither will New York I will eat it whenever I get the chance {it's my comfort food}. We watched the weirdest show I have ever seen and chatted with her roomates. Girl got lucky in that department. They are all so fun and get along so well.

I came home on Thursday to a sicky husband who had the flu. Anyone who knows Brad knows he NEVER takes the day off, so I sure did enjoy my four day weekend with him even though he was sick. We spent it snuggling, watching movies, doing homework, and taking lots of naps! 

But after our long weekend it's back to the real world. Back to school work, work, cleaning, getting everything ready to move, and trying to cross things off our fall bucket list in between.

Just a quick catch up, and of course some pictures

Brad and I have been so busy this month. It started off with a temple date, like every month. Got to start it off right! :) The next weekend we went camping with our ward and had such a blast! Last weekend Brad's company had their family picnic,where we won so many raffles, totaling to about $100! This weekend we kicked off the first day of fall by going to the Puyallup Fair, where we watched the draft show, saw animals, and stuffed our bellies with that nutritious fair food! ;) There have been in between activities with our friends such as a beach trip with the Gerhardt's and dinner/game nights with the Poe's. It's crazy to think September is almost over! I will be ending the month off by going to visit Afton and Gregg and meeting my adorable niece, Zoe. I couldn't be more excited! Plus I'm taking their family pictures and pictures of Zoe with my new camera while I'm there, I'm thrilled! :) September you have been nice but October, you will be so much better! :)

Mukilteo Beach!

Puyallup Fair!

Reasons why October will be so much better:

-Fall Bucket List begins

-General Conference

-Apartment Hunting in New York

-Halloween

-A trip to La Push {twilight fans be jealous} I'm hoping for a run in with Taylor Lautner {just kidding}

-Our last full month in Seattle, a little bitter sweet but ready for our adventure in New York!

Happy First Day of Fall!

Random Rambling- yes just one.

I know I have been slacking on the blog. I'm sorry about that. I would say I've been busy but truth is I'm just either doing school work, house work, shopping, or soaking up the time I have with Mancub. So here is what has been on my mind for awhile that I feel the need to get off my chest, nothing serious...just a little rant/rambling.

I started following a blog. I won't name what blog, because I don't feel the need to. I left a comment on this blog complimenting the girls outfit and the girl replied telling me that she hopes she can help my fashion sense. Um, excuse me?! 1. I don't even know you. 2. I have never done a outfit post in my life, so how can you judge whether or not I am fashionable? 3. If I want your help I will ask for it.

After the remark I thought about my blog for the next week. I didn't start my blog to be a fashion blogger. I think it's silly that people spend so much on clothes that probably won't fit them forever. Plus most of the girls who are fashion bloggers are like a size 0 so everything looks good on them. Some of us however are not size 0, and that is okay. I just feel like fashion bloggers are not realistic. This same blogger also has an insta gram which is how I found her blog in the first place, everyday she asks if her outfit is post worthy. I think that is sad that you even have to ask that. If you like it post it, if you don't well pretend it never happened and go on with your life.Why are you dressing to impress people you will probably never meet? Which brings me to another point that has been running through my mind.

After this whole incident it's like every blog post I read mentioned how they wanted to simplify their blogs, go back to the reason they started their blogs. Many are new moms who feel guilty for taking a break from blogging to spend that precious time with their adorable little ones who are growing too fast. Bloggers who feel guilty when their normal routine post isn't up or they miss a day of blogging. I never want that to be me and I didn't make this blog to be a priority in my life, I didn't create this blog hoping that one day I would make money off of it. Don't get me wrong, I love blogging. It lets me share our journey through every day life, but I never want to feel guilty for not posting, or not being a fashion blogger, or not writing the same themed post every Thursday. I started this blog to document our life together and that is what it will be. If I share a recipe every now and then, great (probably won't happen, but if I find an out of this world recipe I'm more than willing to share). If I wake up one day and put on the cutest outfit ever and document it, hooray!

I know why I created this blog and that's what I'm sticking too:)

Thanks for letting me rant/ramble

Happy Hump Day!

Always Remember

9.11.01

 

A day I'm pretty sure none of us will ever forget. I have been trying to think of what to say all day long, I see

so many Facebook status' and it's like I can't put my own feelings into words, almost out of fear that I won't be able express myself perfectly. There are so many wonderful articles I have read that people express their feelings of that day so beautifully in. 

Although I was only in the fourth grade I will never forget that day and how that tragedy caused our country to unite and fight as a nation. I will never forget how patriotic everyone seemed to be. Everyone was in it together even through all the hurt that people were experiencing.

Yes there are bad people in the world, yes bad things do happen {even to good people}. If only we could be as united now as we were in that time period, if only we could have so much love for our neighbors and strangers as we did then, if only we honored our heroes and thanked them for their sacrifice and service as much as we did then, if only we lived as if today was our last day because it just might be.The world would be such a better place.

We are so blessed to live in a country with so many freedoms. I am so thankful for the servicemen who sacrifice time away from their families to fight for our freedom and safety on a daily basis. I am thankful that through that tragedy we were able to put prejudices aside and come together as one. I hope that one day it won't take a tragedy to unite us.  

Our First Camping Trip

It's seems as though lately everyone and their mom is going camping. We have been wanting to go for awhile and finally had the perfect opportunity to go! We had such a blast, the weather was perfect and we were in great company and got to meet lots of people from our HUGE ward. Brad was lucky enough to get off work early so we packed up the car and headed to the campsite. 

Once we got there we set up our tent and then went on a hunt to get wood for a campfire. 

Our Cute Tent! :)

  While on our firewood hunt we went down by the creek too which was absolutely beautiful! It always amazes me to see how different the outdoors is on the West and East coasts. The west coast definitely has a lot more rocks! I always feel as if someone stuck me in Jurassic Park. 

Down by the River! :)

On our way back from our wood hunt we saw this cute swing made out of a barrel. We had to stop and play, how often do you see that kind of swing? 

Us on the barrel swing! :)

After a few minutes of swinging our bellies were telling us it was dinner time. So Brad got the fire started and we cooked our foil dinners, that I had put together that afternoon. Everyone was so impressed that we actually cooked our dinner there and kept telling us how delicious or foil dinners smelled and looked. We also had a couple of people who were glad that we brought stuff to start fires with because they had totally forgotten their supplies, and without us they would have been freezing!

Getting the fire started and foil dinners! :)

After we ate dinner the whole ward got together for a devotional by the fire, followed by a dessert social. There were so many desserts but Brad and I split a brownie and went back to our campsite to have s'mores, because you can't go camping and not have a s'more. We each and one and then climbed into the tent and went to bed. The next morning the men put on a pancake breakfast. So we ate breakfast and then packed up the car and headed home. We had such a wonderful time getting out of the apartment and getting to know people in our new ward! We are hoping to get in some more camping trips before it gets too cold! I'm looking forward to fall though, already putting together our fall bucket list! If you have any suggestions, leave a comment below! We would love to hear them! :)

Labor Day Weekend

This weekend has been quite exciting and busy for us! And I'm going to mention a lot of food but I promise we aren't fat kids over here...haha.We started the weekend off right by going to the Temple. I love going to the temple and I am so happy that because of the temple I can be with my family forever, what an amazing blessing. After the session we found a hole in the wall Chinese restaurant. We knew we needed a sweet treat too so we split a sour gummy smoothie from Jamba Juice, it is our absolute favorite! 

Temple Date!

Saturday morning we slept in and then headed to an art museum. I needed to go for an art paper, and Brad was such a sport and tagged along. Our favorite piece from the museum was called Puget Sound by Albert Bierstadt. Seriously such an eye catching piece. After we went to the museum we went and had lunch at Olive Garden, thanks to Mo for the birthday gift card! :) I absolutely love their soup, salad, and bread sticks. Plus we had extra leftover to spend on a dessert to share! Once our bellies were full we went shopping and then back home to do homework. Story of our life.

Seriously, breathtaking!

Sunday we woke up and headed to church. It was such a wonderful Sunday and I felt so uplifted. We came home and took an amazing nap. Seriously, Sunday naps are the best! I also convinced Brad to go on a walk/blackberry picking, I really just wanted to go so I could get some more practice with my amazing new camera. 

Blackberries!

Today I woke up so happy that I had an extra day with mancub. Of course I knew it would be filled with homework. We live an exciting life let me tell you. However, I was pleasantly surprised when our new friends invited us to go to the fair with their cute family. I LOVE fairs so of course we went. We had such wonderful fair food that led to a terrible tummy ache later. I am bummed to see the weekend go, they always go so fast.

Day at the Fair!

We are so happy to have made such awesome friends and all we could talk about on the way home was how we will actually miss Washington when we move in November. We have been blessed to live in such a beautiful state. It hasn't rained once since I've moved here. The weather is always perfect. We love how everything is green and we love the fresh blackberries! And we love our new friends! :)

Looking forward to all the rest of the activities we have planned for September. It will be such an exciting month!

Twenty One

On August 29 I turned the magical 21.

Seriously I'm not sure why they make such a big deal about 21, besides the fact that you can legally drink BUT since I don't drink 21 was just another year. However, I did have a most wonderful birthday. First thing I did though was go to the DMV to change my name, become a Washington resident, and get that lovely red box taken off my license. I was lucky though and only had to spend about 30 minutes there total. Brad totally spoiled me and I got a new camera, a nice fancy one that I have been wanting for YEARS. Seriously best gift ever. We went to Red Robin for dinner and came home and had some cake that I had made earlier that day. It was most definitely a low-key birthday but for those of you who know me, know I wouldn't have it any other way! Here are some pictures from the night! :)

p.s. When I was younger I always wanted to be married by 21, lucky for me that was the case and I married the man of my dreams! So Blessed :)

When Mo Came to Visit and Home Tour! :)

Remember that one time that Mo came and visited me in good ol' Washington and we got our craftiness on and made the apartment look real cute and I promised a blog about it? Yeah, well I finally got a spare second to get it done. What am I talking about I have lots of spare seconds, truth is I just finally sat down and did it.  So while I am listening to the Spice Girls on Pandora {don't judge me} I figured I would share some pics of our temporary home!

First up is the living room! I am absolutely in love with our arm chair which I was really worried about since I ordered it online but I think it goes perfectly. I also love our couch because it turns in to a queen size bed which was nice when Mo missed her flight, and it has space underneath to store blankets and pillows. Also what I like to call our dining room/area. I absolutely love having a bar table and I am obsessed with my square plates!

{Couch-IKEA, Arm Chair-Target, Pillows-Home Goods/Kirkland's} 

 

{Frame Set- Christmas Gift but from Kirkland's, Table-IKEA, Plates-Target, Place mats-Stein Mart}

Below is our entertainment center. Before Mo came to visit it was completely blank so that was my main focus of the week because it needed something. So we got all crafty and made it look real cute!  

{Live, Laugh, Love Sign- DIY project, Entertainment Center- IKEA, Jars- DIY project, Willow Tree Figurine-Birthday Present, Letter S- Stein Mart}

 The bedroom isn't completely done yet but I will show you a little preview, I probably won't be finishing it while we live here since we will be moving in November.

{Pillows-Stein Mart, Hobby Lobby, Ross, Always kiss me goodnight sign- DIY project, Chalkboard- DIY project, Bed Spread- Bed, Bath, and Beyond}

And last but not least the bathroom. I am in love with our shower curtain and color scheme. I have neutrals all over the place!

{Shower Curtain-Ana's Linens, Curtain Rings- Ross, Soap Dispenser- Target}

I am loving how much more of a homey feel the apartment has and have enjoyed seeing it all come together! I look forward to more DIY projects and I am so grateful that my mom was able to come stay with me and have girl time while Brad was gone. I am so blessed! :)

blessed

Today I am feeling so blessed.

I have an amazing family that will always love and support me. Mom, Dad, Afton, and Colby, thank you for always being there for me. Even from a distance I know that y'all will be there. I have an amazing husband that works so hard to take care of me and balance all of his responsibilities. He has an incredible job that makes it to where we have a roof over our heads, a bed to sleep in, food in our bellies, clothes to wear, and a car to drive. I have the opportunity to further my education, something that a lot of people take for granted. I have freedoms that so many people do not have the right to enjoy. I have a healthy body, that even when I get the silly flu makes me so grateful that I do not have any life long illnesses that I have to constantly battle through. I have the knowledge of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, something that brings me the greatest comfort in my life. I have a loving Heavenly Father who has given me so much to be thankful for and who is constantly watching over me. I need to be better about looking at all the good things I have been blessed with instead of dwelling on the not so great things that will eventually pass.

 

Happy Birthday

Today is my best friends birthday. My best friend just happens to be my Mom. I would like to thank my Grandma for giving birth to my momma on this very day because I can't imagine my life without her in it, let's be honest I wouldn't even be here without her. She has been a constant support through my whole life and at some times my only friend. There have been many nights where we would stay up and talk in bed for hours on end. She always has my back and has taught me some of life's greatest lessons. I have been so blessed to have the relationship that I do with my mom. I can only hope and pray that one day I will be the kind of mother that my mom was to me. Thanks for being so amazing mom and for teaching me how to be a wonderful wife and mother! 

Happy Birthday, best friend!

p.s. Mo just visited me for a week while Brad was on a business trip, stay tuned for what we did! :)

Insta-Lately :)

Capturing our life via Instagram! 

Here is what we've been up to.

1. Flowers husband got me from Pike's Market

2. Blackberry picking

3. The new Ferris wheel on the Pier

4. Public Market Center sign

5. Gum Wall on Post Alley

6. Husband picking blackberries

Random Ramblings

So today Mo told me that she liked it when I used to blog about random stuff. I have so many random thoughts that I usually just keep to myself because I figure no one else would want to hear about that, but now that I know that is not the case maybe every now and then you will get some random ramblings. 

Here are a few as of late:

*I just got an iPhone. Can you say obsessed? Instagram is my newest addiction.

* I'll start off with I HATE driving on interstates. Maybe it's because I didn't really get much practice back in Georgia? Interstates are the only way you get around here in Washington, it's killing me. I miss my back roads! Oh plus when I did drive on the interstate in Georgia you had to drive fast in order to avoid getting run over. Here it is the complete opposite, the speed limit is 60 mph and people are driving 55. What in the world?!?! I am no longer considered a granny driver, instead I'm a speed demon.

*I am enrolled in an online degree program through Troy university. School just started yesterday. I am taking 3 classes. Truth is...I am already done with all the work for week one. #iamanerd.

*I don't know what it is about those hash tags and I lately but I am loving on them, and no I do not have a twitter. I do not feel the need to tell everyone what I am doing every second of my day, nor do I think people would really care. 

* I feel the need to change my email address. I've had the same one since I was like 8, and people are looking at me funny when I tell them my address. Might be time to say goodbye to brettbeauty. {feel free to laugh}

Care to share your random ramblings? Leave a comment! :)

Put On Your Big Girl Panties

You can only sit in an apartment for so long before going crazy, you can only clean a bathroom so many times, and eventually you will run out of dishes to wash. I have enjoyed being able to sit down and have lunch with my husband every day and being home with dinner ready once he gets off of work. But like I said I can't sit at home all day bored out of my mind. I run out of things to do. Solution to that problem, get a job.

Brad and I had discussed me getting a job once we got married. We are so blessed that Brad has a good job and that I have the option of staying home if I wanted or needed to. However I would go crazy sitting at home all day every day by myself just waiting for Brad to come home. We both know school is my top priority so it would just need to be a part time job. Since I am taking online classes my schedule is pretty flexible.

I didn't plan on getting a job until after school had started that way I could have a good idea of how many hours I could handle. I had been looking at all the stores I would stop in to shop at to see if they were hiring and it seems like everyone here is. My mom told me to look online and see who was hiring on Monday. I came across an ad offering a part time job for two adorable little girls. The ad had just been posted so I decided to act fast before I missed out on what I saw as the perfect opportunity. So I applied and not more than 10 minutes later I heard back. We scheduled to meet the next day. So yesterday afternoon I went over to meet the girls. They are ages 2 and a half and 5 months and are the sweetest, cutest girls. We hit it off immediately. I left feeling confident that I would get the job and so thankful that God always puts the right things in my life at the right time. 

Today I got a text from the mom asking if I would be their nanny and I am so happy to be able to accept that job. I have LOVED all my past nanny jobs and God has blessed me so much with them in the past. It's a job I truly enjoy and seeing that it fits PERFECTLY with my school schedule I couldn't be more thrilled. 

So it's time to put my big girl panties on and start the juggling act of my duties as a wife, student, and now employee. I am so excited to see how it goes and am feeling so blessed with the life that Brad and I have.

Weekend

Happy Monday Everyone!

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend! Ours was quite busy. 

On Friday I met Brad and his coworkers for lunch .Let's just say I was a little intimidated to tag along mostly because 1) They are all SO smart and 2) Because I would be the only spouse there. We went to this fun pizza place called the Rock. At lunch time they have a pizza buffet with wood fired pizza. So delicious, and the strawberry cheesecake dessert pizza was to die for. I am glad I tagged along because it turned out to be so fun, and everyone talked about the Olympics which was a relief because I am no engineer.

Temple Date with the Husband

After Brad got home from work we ate dinner and headed to the Temple. The parking lots were overflowing, turns out it was Stake Temple night. I really enjoy going to the Temple because I always learn so much and because I leave feeling spiritually uplifted and this time was even better because my husband was there by my side the whole time :)

Saturday was the busiest day for us. We slept in a little bit though since we wake up early every day of the week. Our first errand was off to AT&T to get me a new phone on Brad's plan. My man really loves me because he let me go all out and get an iPhone. I have to say I am in love with it so far but am still figuring it out {what is your favorite/ must have app?}. After we got the phone we were off to re-buy wedding gifts. My favorites that we got: Kitchen Aid and a Dyson Vacuum cleaner. Seriously nothing spells clean better than fresh vacuum lines. {it's the little things in life}. We also got a new bed spread while we were out that I am absolutely in love with. 

Saturday evening one of Brad's coworkers hosted a little get together since she is moving to Nashville. So we headed over to the party. They had the prettiest view of the Seattle Skyline. I was so jealous and their deck was the perfect party place. I wish I would have gotten a picture. I met a new friend and talked to her the whole entire party. We had a great time and ended up staying till 11. My poor body was so tired, I am still adjusting to the time change.

Sunday we went to church. Our new ward is HUGE, I am talking 1,100 people huge. The clerks advice to us "Try not to get lost in the ward, and be brave and go find people, because everyone blends in".  I will remember that. Although, rumor has it they are splitting the ward next week at Stake Conference. So we will just see what happens. 

Today I am waiting on a chair to arrive at my door. I ordered it from Target and it is supposed to be delivered today! I can't wait to have it in our home! Tonight for FHE activity we will be rearranging our living room furniture! So excited! :)

Honeymoon

For our honeymoon Brad and I decided to go on a cruise. I had been on one but Brad had not. I love cruises and wish I could go all the time! Seriously where do you get food, hotel, and entertainment all included in one price? Side note, one time as a kid Brad got sea sick. If I would have known this prior to us booking the cruise I would have vetoed the idea, but luckily for us neither of us got sea sick and we both had such a great time! 

First Day on the Boat

We picked a 5 day 4 night cruise to the Bahamas and Royal Caribbean's private island Coco Cay. It was so nice to have Brad all to myself for a whole week without any distractions! As soon as we got on board we headed to the dining room to get some lunch. After lunch we changed into our swimsuits and went and laid out at the pool. Brad had gotten burned the day before at the beach so he wanted to lay in the shade. We spent a few hours at the pool and watched as the pool deck filled out. Of course before we could leave the port we had to do the drill so we headed to our muster station and probably stood there for 15 minutes. After the drill we headed back up to the pool for the departure party. It always amazes me to see how fast people get drunk and how much money they spend on cruises just on alcohol, but they sure do make things more entertaining. On my last cruise the formal dining was kind of a bust but Brad and I decided to try it out. We ended up loving who we were sat with and ate there every night of the cruise. After dinner we headed to the Welcome Aboard show. The shows are my favorite part about cruises, well that and the towel animals! :)

Coco Cay

Formal Night

Tuesday we arrived at Coco Cay. We woke up in the morning, went and had breakfast then got on the ferry that took us from the ship to the island. The water is so clear that you can see the fish swim up to you. This time we were the only ship at the island so there were actually chairs and hammocks that were open. We spent the first half hour snoozing on the hammock then decided to go lay out near the water. Brad was pretty bummed that there were not any waves so we decided to walk around the island to see what we could find. We ended up finding a stretch of water that didn't have so many people snorkeling so we went out and played in the water. It was fun to see all the fish swim up to us. Once we got back on the ship we went and got ready for dinner. It was the captains dinner so we got to get all dressed up :) After that we went to the show of the day and then to the honeymooners gathering. There were about 6 couples and they had raffle gifts but we didn't win anything but we did get chocolate covered strawberries and a cupcake. It's a good thing we had already decided to take the stairs instead of the elevator or else we would have come of the ship as fat kids. haha. When we got back to our room we found a towel monkey waiting for us!

Bahamas

The next day we were at Nassau, Bahamas. I was on a mission for my mom to get knock off Coach bags because on our last cruise we made such a bargain! So we headed to the Straw Market. However, the government has given them a nice building and now regulates what they sell in the Market. So now there are no coach bags to be found. We ended up looking for 3 hours and decided to call it quits, as we headed back we saw a local and decided to ask her if she could show us where to get knock off bags, she ended up taking us down an alley and the mission was accomplished. After that adventure we were ready to go back on the ship and relax.

The next day was a day at sea so we enjoyed pool time, the $10 sale on board, shows, and spending time with one another. We had such a great honeymoon and were sad to see it end. Now we are getting all settled here in Washington! :)

Our Reception

This might be the longest post ever known in bloggy land. The Friday after we got married we had our reception. We had it at a clubhouse in a local neighborhood. Friday Morning Brad and I drove down to meet my family to help set up for the reception in the evening. After we got all the tables and chairs set up and all the decorations we headed back to the house to do food preparation. All the women folk in my family spent the morning chopping food up and getting it all ready. Brad spent the morning sleeping, poor boy was exhausted and I knew that would be the only time he would get to sleep that day. My friend Angie came over to do my hair again, I'm telling y'all she is hands down the best! After that I rushed to get my makeup done and Brad and I drove over to the clubhouse for bridal party pictures. 

I might as well just go ahead and admit that  I kind of pulled a little bridezilla at this point. I had sent out information cards along with the invites to be at the clubhouse at 4 pm for pictures. When we got there only 1 member of the bridal party was there and he didn't even have his tux on. By the time everyone got there it was around 5. So we finally got the pictures taken and they look so good in my opinion!   

At 6:30 pm my dad conducted a ring ceremony for family and close friends. He did an amazing job and I have heard so many comments from my friends about how sweet my dad's message was. I am so proud of him and so honored to have him as my dad. After the ring ceremony the reception started. There were so many people who stopped by. Brad and I are so thankful and overwhelmed by the love and support of so many people. We truly are blessed.

Just some of the many people who came!

Here are some of the details of the reception:

Candy Buffet :)

Tables & Centerpieces

Flowers

Wedding Cake! 

 

 

 

 

Sister Turner, Mrs. Sheila, Sister Daniels, and Aunt Shelli

My wonderful mother and best friend :)

The reception was so beautiful and described Brad and I perfectly. My mom put so much work into it and it really paid off. A HUGE thank you to these ladies, you made this night come to life!

Stay tuned for honeymoon! :)