Chicago.

This last week my mom and I took off for a girl’s trip to Chicago to visit my sister and her family, who are currently attending medical school there. It was my first time away from Justin for more than a night since we’ve been married and it was harder than I thought it would be, but at the same time it was so nice to get some quality time with my mama. We’re besties. We flew in Thursday morning and my nephew Nate and I celebrated seeing each other with some good bed-jumping at the hotel. Because that’s what hotel beds are made for. We spent that night swimming in the hotel pool, catching up on each other’s lives, and playing my family’s favorite card game—Screwy Louie (which isn’t nearly as inappropriate as it sounds.)

On Friday we ventured downtown and started our day with a tour of the Art Institute of Chicago. I hadn’t been back to the city in over 5 years, so my fam let me choose all of our destinations—and this was first on my list. I mean, look how pretty just the outside of the building is. 

We spent a few hours wandering through the galleries, dragging each other to our favorite pieces. 

My mom and I are both suckers for Monet.  

After the museum we ventured to the “jelly bean,” Nate’s favorite. You can’t go to Chicago without stopping at the bean, you just can’t. We took our fair share of selfies there before searching for some deep dish pizza for dinner.

Oh Giordano’s, I love you.

 We stopped at the Cheesecake Factory on our way home for dessert, and my mom and I enjoyed ours along side with a few episodes of Downton Abbey back at the hotel. I realize I’m way behind on that bandwagon, but I’m completely obsessed. We stayed up all night every night watching it. 

On Saturday we set out for a Cub’s game, also per my request. I’ve been dying to go to Wrigley Field and it did not disappoint. I felt slightly guilty going to the game without Justin, but not guilty enough to not send him continuous photos and updates throughout the entire game. I loved the atmosphere and the people and I stood up and belted the “Go Cubs Go” song as loud as I could after they won the game. Such a fun experience. 

 

After the game we went to visit our long-time friends the Young’s, who moved from SLC to Chicago when I was ten, taking my best friend with them. We’re all still just as close as before they left and we try to see them at least once a year. Relaxing in their backyard and watching Uncle Dave play baseball with Nate was probably my favorite part of the trip. I mean, could you die?

The rest of our trip was spent eating, shopping, and hanging out. It was so fun to get away for a while and to spend time with family and friends. I miss this little dude already, and I know he misses me just as much. Even though he won’t say it out loud. 

Bye, bye Chicago. Until next time. 

Graduated.

As of two days ago I am officially a college grad…and it’s blowing my mind. I’ve been counting down the days to this day for the last four years of my life, and now that it’s here I can’t decide if I want to jump for joy or sit down and cry. I’ve always loved school and BYU in particular, but once I got married and started working it became more of a hassle than anything else. For the past two years I’ve spent my time going to class in the morning, going to work during the day, and then heading home for homework and studying at night—with the occasional night class thrown in here and there. Not fun, and I don’t recommend it to anyone. (Also, as a quick side note—online classes are of the devil and you WILL put them off until the last week possible. DON’T DO IT.) 

These last couple of years have been hard, and I’m so glad that from now on I’ll be able to go home at night and do what I want. I’m going to read a book just for fun! But at the same time they have been so rewarding. Not only have I been able to continue studying what I’ve always loved, but I’ve also found a job in the finance world where I’m excelling and learning new things every single day. And no matter how many times I hear that an English degree is pointless and I can’t do anything with it, I will forever tell you that you’re wrong and go on thinking that I’m smarter than you. 

Once upon a time, during my freshman year of high school, I promised my parents that I would never go to BYU and that I wanted to move far, far away to a school where I could experience the “real world.” That was during the phase of my life where my parents were always wrong and I knew everything. Then by the time my junior year rolled around, BYU was the only school I even applied for. Stupid? Or confident? Either way, I ended up getting in and absolutely loving it. I had so much fun living in the dorms my freshman year, I loved almost every single one of my professors, and my semester abroad in London was one of the greatest times of my life. My major was the absolute best, and as much as I’m SO DONE with writing essays, I love that the majority of my homework was reading books and poems from authors that I love. And I’ll admit it—I have a love/hate relationship with my religion classes. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed complaining about how difficult they were (I feel like marriage prep for someone already married should have resulted in an A?) I still feel like I learned so much about my religion than I’ve ever learned outside of school. So kudos to you, Brigham Young. 

So as glad as I am that I’m done, I’m also partially heartbroken. I’ve always teased my dad for giving us the regular tour-down-memory-lane every single time we’re in Provo, but I’m sure that as soon as I have teenagers I’ll be doing the same thing—pointing out all the spots that were important to me, telling them who I kissed where (JK, JK, I've only ever kissed Justin…)  And they’ll be sitting in the back seat rolling their eyes and complaining about how hungry they are. (Sorry dad, I love you.) The hardest part for me is that my list of life’s achievements up until this point is officially complete—I’ve graduated from high school, traveled to Europe, gotten married, graduated from college, and I have a job. Now what am I supposed to do? I need an entirely new bucket list. (I know, I know. BABIES! Don’t say it.) I’m slightly terrified that I don’t have any major plans ahead of me that I’m working towards, or projects to keep me busy when I get home from work. I’m currently taking suggestions for a new hobby—excluding working out. 

Basically what I’m trying to say with this extremely long rant is that I’m so, so happy to be done with school and that I absolutely loved BYU and I’m sad that phase of my life is over. But I’m glad for the things that I learned and the experiences I had there. Also, thanks mom and dad for pushing me in school and funding a large majority of it, and thanks to my sweet husband for being patient with me and not letting me quit when I wanted to. I promise you’ll now get home cooked meals more often than you used to. Promise. 

And now, a list of goodbyes to the things I'll miss the most. 

Goodbye to the vending machines that accepted my student ID card as payment, packed full with my parents money from freshman year.

Goodbye to the PDA-ers so willingly displaying their love on every single hill, bench, and somewhat shaded area. 

Goodbye to the bell tower playing my favorite hymns/the Harry Potter theme song as I walk from class to my car. Made my day, everyday. 

Goodbye all you Fight-Song-Singers at sporting events, always so willing to thrust your fists enthusiastically into the air.

Goodbye to my favorite "Better Than Whatever" cupcakes at the Cocoa Bean, because we don't say the "sex" word in Provo. 

Goodbye to the Cheesy Gordita Crunches at the Taco Bell in the Wilk, because that was the only Taco Bell I ever trusted eating at. 

Goodbye, Campus. I'll miss your pretty flowers in the Spring and the way you made your employees go ALL OUT for Christmas, even though it was only up for two weeks. It's so frivolous, and I love it. 

Goodbye all you BYU girls glaring at me as I walk across said campus in my leggings, because "leggings are not pants!"

Goodbye to all of my English professors and the way you so fervently fought for the legitimacy of our major. 

And goodbye to all my sweet friends who made it all that much more enjoyable. I love you all, and if you ever need a place to stay in Sandy there's a sectional with your name on it. 

Go Cougars!

World, meet Crew.

Yesterday we welcomed this sweet little boy into our home, and ever since Justin and I have been like giddy little schools girls. Neither of us can get enough of him! We've been searching for about a year now for the perfect dog, and I can honestly say that it was worth the wait (but don't tell Justin that I said that.) We came close to buying a few different ones, but I'm glad the hubs forced me to be patient and not settle. This boy honestly could not be more perfect.

He was born May 10th, weighs about 4 pounds, and has the sweetest little face you've ever seen. 

He slept through the night in his kennel, goes potty on the lawn, and wants to do nothing besides cuddle up in your lap and lick your face.

His only flaw as of now is that he likes to chew on just about everything besides his food, but we're working on that. 

And he survived his first bath tonight, without completely hating us by the end of it.

We're completely in love over here, and could not be happier.

Welcome to our home, baby Crew!

One Year Anniversary.

This weekend Justin and I celebrated our one year anniversary! Oh how times flies...it feels like just yesterday he was walking me home through the backyard to my parents house :) This year of marriage has been so much fun and such a great experience for both Justin and me. We have learned so much about each other, and have honestly just come to love each other so much more than we did a year ago. Even though we've had a few bumps in the road along the way, for the most part our first year has been smooth sailing. If the first is really the hardest, then bring on the second! 

We decided that since our actual anniversary was on a Sunday, we would take the entire weekend to celebrate the big day. So Friday we went ice skating (which I actually hate doing, but Justin got be through it), Saturday we shopped till we dropped and then ate at our favorite restaurant in Provo--Communal, and then we spent today watching our wedding video, hanging with the fam for the Superbowl, and eating our one-year-old wedding cake. Best part of the whole weekend? Wearing my wedding dress again. I only wore it for about 15 minutes, and I'll never be able to package it up again the way it was, but it was totally worth it.

And in honor of our 12 months of marriage, I've compiled a list of the 12 things I've learned about Justin since we've been married. Some fun facts about my hubby:

1. He’s cheap. Beyond cheap. Nothing makes him happier than having money in savings. This sometimes clashes with the fact that nothing makes me happier than shopping.

2. He talks in his sleep, all the time. And not only does he talk, but he also incorporates grand hand gestures to emphasize the incoherent point that he is trying to make, in his sleep.

3. He’s a whistler. He whistles in the shower, while he’s ironing, when he’s doing the dishes, when I’m trying to do homework. It’s adorable.

4. He is such a handyman. That boy can fix anything (with the help of his dad, Terry. And Terry’s tools.)

5. He’s a gamer. I bought him the new COD for Christmas (Call of Duty, duh) thinking that it would be fine because he’s so responsible and would only play it in his free time. I was wrong, and will from now on stick to my anti-videogame rule.

6. He is always right, and nothing is ever his fault. This one I knew before we got married, but this past year has only solidified that knowledge.

7. As much as he denies it and claims that we just HAVE to have a king size bed in our next house, he’s a cuddler. He always has to be cuddled up next to me to fall asleep, and I’m totally ok with that.

8. He’s got great style. From his J.Crew wardrobe to our beautiful house that he remodeled, I never have to help him make decisions when it comes to looking good.  I give all that credit to his mom, Corinne.

9. He can’t sleep in past 8…even on Saturdays. Imagine my dismay when I discovered that this meant I also could not sleep in on Saturdays.

10. He’s an extremely clean person. Like, I can deep clean the house one day, and the next day it’s “filthy” again. However, he sucks at hand washing dishes.  Which I realize he probably just does so that it will permanently become my job…but it’s working.

11. He loves breakfast. He begs me every weekend morning to please get out of bed before him and make waffles. Thank goodness for Bisquick.

12. He can’t go a day without a can of Mt. Dew. Believe me, we tried.

Getting to know all of Justin's little quirks has only made this first year of marriage so much greater, and I can't wait to see what's in store for our future. Happy Anniversary Justin! I love you so much and have loved every minute of being married to you. Here's to hoping that our second year will be as good as our first :)