Dear Santa...

For Christmas I want:

1. Long luscious locks.

I miss the feel of my hair whipping in the wind. Like this.

Or this. Actually, if you could just insert my into this picture, I wouldn't mind. The hair, the dress, the cardigan, the scenery... take me there.

Or, if you can't just give me the hair, can you at least make mine grow faster? It takes FOREVER!

2. Cozy sweaters and boots. To keep me warm. 

Like this.

And these.

3. And finally, could you please just slow time down? Or maybe stop it altogether?

I need a good long vacation in Italy. So I can pass my Italian final tomorrow morning! Really, it's not a want, it's a need!

And so I can have time to work on all the projects I have planned in my head. Like making amazing reversible sweater stockings, inspired by these.

And do this to our bedroom wall.

That's all, ok? Simple requests, really. Ready... Go!

*amber*

Announcement! With some visions of sugarplums on the side.

Ok, are you ready? Here it is...

We're going to Disneyworld for Christmas!!! 

I seriously cannot wait. This is going to be me.

Yes, the one on the left. Furreals. She is my idol and I've wanted one of those dresses since I was 3. I'm determined to find one in my size this time.

We're smack in the middle of finals, but all I can think about is, "Florida, here we come!" It doesn't help that I've had major travel fever since this Summer. I've never been to Disneyworld (or Florida), so if you have and have any good advice, please share!

* * *

In other news, because of finals and the fact that we won't be here for Christmas, I decided I didn't feel like decorating. Not even our tree! I don't know if you realize how big of a deal this is for me. I'm a decorating freak. Seriously. Any given day, you can ask me what decorating projects I'm planning or thinking of and I'll talk your ear off. So it's no wonder that when I told Seth I didn't feel like putting up our tree, he asked me what I did with his wife.

Anyway, that's just how I felt this year. Then, last Saturday, I went to the Festival of Trees with some friends from work.

Yes, Seth was photoshopped in hehe. He couldn't come because he had too much homework :(

The Festival of Trees is a charity event where people donate decorated trees, wreaths, gingerbread houses, quilts, and other crafts to be silent auctioned and all of the proceeds go to Primary Children's Hospital. It's a fun Christmas event. They have some of the most creative trees I've ever seen there.

So I started getting into the Christmas tree spirit. Except, I still didn't feel like doing it. Mostly just thinking about Christmas trees. (Still weird. In my mind, any form of creativity or expression is totally worth the work.) So I decided to post some pictures of our lovely tree from last year. So I can still look at my beautiful tree. Maybe I can't bask in the warmth of the magical glow it casts throughout our house, but at least I won't be lint rolling fake snow off my clothes for the next three months.

Here you are.

Mmm... lovely. I love Christmas trees.

Merry Christmas everyone! And if you have a tree, enjoy it for me!

*amber*

First Anniversary Goodness

So basically, I am the most spoiled wife ever. Saturday was such a beautiful day... it couldn't have been more amazing.

The first thing we did to celebrate our anniversary was head up to the Salt Lake Temple. We hadn't been to the Salt Lake Temple since our wedding a year ago, so it seemed an appropriate time to make another visit. It was such a wonderful experience and we both enjoyed the remembering the covenants we made to each other. It was the perfect Anniversary activity :)

To find out why the temple is so important to us and our marriage, click on the picture to the right. 

After we finished up at the temple, Seth asked if I wanted to go to Caputo's for dinner. Caputo's is this amazing Italian market in downtown Salt Lake that we discovered earlier this Summer. I am completely smitten and will take any excuse I can to go. After the temple though, I was just in a peaceful, contemplative mood and didn't really feel like going to a bustling marketplace right then, so we ate at the temple and splurged on some yummy pie.

* * *

After that, we were headed home. I was sitting in the car, probably just babbling on about some random topic, when Seth pulled into a parking garage. What?? I had no idea what he was doing. We got out of the car and walked into a building, which I soon came to recognize as an Embassy Suites hotel. (My family has stayed at them on many vacations.) I was completely taken by surprise (even though Seth said I'd had plenty of opportunities to figure it out but was just too naive) and couldn't decide whether to be overjoyed or mad at him. Luckily for him, I chose the former :) 

We got to the hotel right during the Manager's Reception (what is known in other states as cocktail hour, haha) so we snagged some popcorn and pretzels and headed up to our pretty room. We got to go swimming, watch a few movies (with popcorn), hang out together, and really relax. It was only a one night stay, and we weren't very far from home, but it was just the getaway I needed.

In the morning, we went down to the complimentary breakfast which, at the Embassy Suites, includes a chef prepared meal of your choice. We ate omelets, french toast, hash browns, fresh fruit, and hot chocolate to our hearts desire. Mmm... After we checked out, we headed over to Liberty Park. We walked around for a while and just enjoyed the sunshine.

* * *

Thank you so much Seth. This weekend was absolutely perfect. But really, could my husband be any sweeter?

... The answer is yes! When we got home, he hit me with yet another surprise. He got us gift certificates to a nice little spa day! :) We'll each get to spend time in the oxygen bar, then head over to a nice long full body massage, and then try out what is supposedly the world's best massage chair... whatever that means. I am so excited... I've never had a professional massage before so I can't wait!

Mmm... Happy Anniversary Sweetheart. Thank you for everything.

*amber*

Gone Fishing

It has been a long time since I've been on here... I feel slightly bad, but not too bad. I've just had WAY too much going on to even think about writing on here. And having a bit too much fun too :) I'll update eventually... but for now, I thought I'd share what we've been up to most recently.

Working.

Studying.

Realizing that it's really late and we'd better get to bed if we want to make it to work in the morning (like right now.)

That's pretty much it. So the long weekend for the 4th of July was very much needed. Saturday morning, I woke up to a clean kitchen, french toast breakfast, and fresh picked flowers courtesy of Seth. He's so sweet :)

That night was when most of the big firework shows were going on in Provo. We planned on going up the canyon to watch out over the valley like we did last year, but then we got a babysitting job. I decided that we could use the extra change. Plus I miss playing with little kids. 

We babysat these triplets that are almost 3. Two boys and a girl. The boys have some hearing problems so they are just starting to talk. They were so adorable. We only played with them for an hour before it was their bedtime. I peeked outside, hoping we could see some of the fireworks but alas, the houses in that neighborhood were just too big. We couldn't see anything. So we spend they rest of the evening watching a movie. 

Monday was great because we got the day off work! We had a lazy day, then in the afternoon, went fishing with some of our friends. It was Seth's first time fishing (sort of.) We didn't catch any, and Seth is convinced that he's cursed and it was because of him. Don't worry, I'll make sure he catches a big one before the Summer's over.

Even though we didn't catch anything, it was a perfect day at the lake. The weather was beautiful and we weren't hot or cold at all. Just perfect :)

Check out those ripped traps! 

Even though he didn't catch anything, I have to say, he's got an awesome cast.

In the meantime, I got bored with waiting for a bite. So I harnessed the power of the sun.

Then I took my ring on a photoshoot. I've never gotten good pictures of my ring before. I tried when we were engaged, but I could never get any clear pictures. For some reason, the conditions that night were perfect. And for some other reason, Seth's phone takes way better pictures than my camera... I don't get it. 

Ring on a rock. One of my favorites. I love how it focused on the ring so well and blurred the background.

Ring in a tree.

Ring on a fishing bobber.

Ring on a water pump.

Ring on a leaf.

My absolute favorite. Ring in the dried up reeds that line the shore. I love all the textures.

I loved the sailboats at the dock.

And here was our spot on the shore. It was so beautiful... we just might need to go back every weekend!

 * * *

So there's your update. More will come. Maybe sooner, maybe later. We'll see. In the meantime, enjoy your Summer!

*amber*

Finally...

Finally putting up the pictures from our trip to Saint George.  (Click if they're too small to see. They were too big to show up all the way.)

We left Provo right as a big snow storm was blowing in and headed South. We enjoyed the warm(ish) weekend at dance competitions, shopping, swimming, and just relaxing. So nice...

Sunday, before we headed home, we had a picnic on the lawn in  front of the Saint George Temple. It was a beautiful day so we took lots of pictures. 

I love this temple. It's so beautiful. And the trees had blossoms which we didn't have at home yet, (we do now) so I went a little photo crazy.

Wow. It really is stunning.

We had fun taking some goofy pictures. 

And got some of the crazy people driving home with us. The girls on the right are my sister Alyse, and her friends Korin and Lexi who I teach. Those girls are INSANE! And a 5 hour car ride with them... well, it was an adventure. 

They also got a kick out of seeing us kiss. They saw us kiss once and started screaming and acting grossed out. So naturally, we did it again. Then they kept yelling "Don't kiss again!" because they wanted us to. Hahaha, oh little girls. You have to love them.

By the end of the day, they had completely worn me out. Whew!

What a lovely day. And now, Spring is finally coming to Provo! The trees are starting to bloom and I've gone two days without wearing a jacket to school! Ah, happy day. 

:)

*amber*

Way to Go! Idaho!

I've mentioned before that Seth and I were able to take some mini-trips recently. It has been so nice because school and work tend to wear us down. If we didn't find these little ways to relax and rejuvenate, I'm sure we would be burned out by now. Provo is great and has its own unique quirkiness, but sometimes it's so nice to get away.

The first trip we got to take was to Idaho to see Seth's sister Heather who just had a baby!

I'd like to introduce you to our newest niece, Hailey Darlene Leavitt! Here she is with mommy Heather

And daddy Ryan.

Seth's mom came down from Washington for a few days so we got to spend some time with her too. It was so nice. We really miss our family up there.

And we got to hold the baby a little bit too! She was so sweet.

(Don't mind my fat cheeks, I had my wisdom teeth out two days before.)

We also got to play with our adorable nieces Elaina and McKenzie. They are just little balls of energy! And they've grown up so much since the last time we saw the. Last time we came to visit, Elaina was playful but Kenzie was just a quiet baby. She's still pretty quiet most of the time but she has turned into a real little toddler and loves to play and be silly with her big sister. Elaina has developed a love for singing since last time. She dances around the house singing random songs that she makes up at the top of her lungs. Sounds just like me when I was little :)

Both of them love their new little sister and try to take good care of her. Even if they don't quite realize that they can't be quite as rough with her as they are with each other. They're learning.

And here are all the girls. Thanks so much to Heather and Ryan for putting up with us for the weekend. It was great to see our family again.

We also got to spend the nights at Aunt Julie and Uncle Ron's house so I got to meet some more extended family. That's one thing that I love about married life. It's so much fun to meet new relatives and be accepted into a wonderful family. I really lucked out when it came to my inlaws :)

This trip was such a relief for us. School was really starting to get us down but as soon as we left, we relaxed. We spent the weekend stress-free (which may have had something to do with the fact that Heather and Ryan don't have internet so we couldn't work on homework) and felt so relaxed by the time we got home. 

While we were on the road, we listened to a book on tape of a fantasy book Seth liked when he was a kid. It was so fun to enjoy the simplicity of a children's novel again. I loved spending the weekend next to my husband, laughing enjoying free time together. 

* * *

This trip was great for another reason. It was one year ago (or close to it anyway) that Seth and I decided to make a spontaneous trip to Idaho. (I've  included pictures from the trip too.)

We had just started dating a couple weeks before. It was nearing the end of the semester and (just like this year) we just needed a change of scene. We were talking one day and Seth mentioned that it would be fun to go up to Idaho to visit his sister and her family. And the rest of his family would be there too on their way to Utah. He was really joking about the idea, but I jumped at it. I thought it would be so much fun to go on a mini road trip. So the next day, we packed our bags and drove up to Idaho. 

On the car ride there, we were able to talk for a long time. Our conversation turned to relationship matters and we both expressed our opinions openly. This is when I feel we really started to understand each other and what we wanted in this life. 

Saturday morning, we spent the day playing with the girls. We played monsters with Elaina. At one point, Seth and Elaina were the monsters and they chased me into the kitchen where they backed me into the corner. I was acting terrified so Elaina looked up at me and innocently said, "It's ok!" Seth's head dropped and he started laughing. It was just too cute. Then as he was taking her back into the living room, she turned to him and said, "She doesn't like you." We both cracked up and still quote that to this day. What a sweet girl.

Throughout the day, I was able to watch Seth roll around on the floor with Elaina and hold Kenzie and make her laugh. It was then that I first realized how much I really liked him. I didn't know it then, but that may have been when I first realized I loved him. It just hit me that this was the kind of man I wanted to spend the rest of forever with.

Later that evening, the rest of Seth's family got in so I got to meet his Mom, Dad, and younger brother Kyle and Jordan. I noticed right away how open they were to me and what a loving family they were. I admit, I was nervous to meet the family, but it was a good experience once it happened.

On the way home, Seth and I talked some more and, because it was getting late and would be Sunday soon, we decided to listen to church music. We spent the next couple hours filling the car with the Mormon Tabernacle choir and singing at the top of our lungs. Funny as it might sound, it was one of the most romantic things I've ever done. (Just one of them. Seth is quite the romantic. And not in the cheesy movie way.) We also stopped for a minute to look at all the stars. The sky was perfectly clear and it was beautiful.

That night when we got home, Seth told me he loved me for the first time. I didn't respond because I didn't want to say it unless I knew I truly loved him too. It was ok because he didn't think he was going to tell me and he thought I didn't hear, so he acted like it didn't happen. (I told him I loved him too a few days later, once I had realized what I felt for him.)

That trip is full of special memories for me. Another fun part of going to Idaho this year was thinking back to that time and remembering how nervous we were, yet how comfortable we felt with each other.

Seth, I love you too.

*amber*

On Holiday

Today, we spent our lovely holiday in Tabiona. My dear friend Ruth has a farm up there and I've been a few times. Every time I go, I have a blast. There are so many fun things to do and her family is so sweet and hospitable. We love the Turnbows!This is Ruth and her little sister Rachel in Tabby when they were little. So cute huh?

We realized that I hadn't been up there for a few years so Ruth invited us for MLK Day. Plus Seth had never ridden a horse (which is what we usually spend most of the time doing) so we decided it would be a good idea to remedy that. We headed up last night at 8 and spent the night. We got to sleep in a bit, although I woke up at 7 for some reason... but I dozed off again for a bit and had an awesome dream about joining the BYU swim team... yes random. Anyway... we woke up to some fresh snow so we ate a yummy breakfast of eggs, bacon, potatoes and oj, suited up, and headed out to play in the snow.

First on the agenda was jumping off the roof of the shed into the snow. I was too chicken :) but it looked like fun.

Then we went snowmobiling. It was great and awesome and Seth got pulled behind one on a sled and froze a smile onto his face... literally haha.

Then we played an intense hockey game against Ruth's cousins. There is a big field that for some reason is covered in ice. Like a thick layer of solid, smooth ice. So her uncle plowed off a square for us and we played hockey! It was so much fun and got really competitive. Only problem was the ice was SO slippery. Especially in some spots and we were just in boots. So people were falling all over the place. Haha, it was hilarious. Except Seth hit his knees pretty hard a couple times and one started swelling :( Sorry honey.

After hockey, we were pretty beat so we went back to the house for hot chocolate. The next thing on the agenda was horseback riding but we were all so tired and cold and there was really only one horse that we could ride and... well basically riding when it's cold isn't quite as much fun as in the summer. And later this year they'll have more horses trained for visitors to ride so we planned to come back sometime in the spring. I'm excited to take Seth on his first horse ride :)

So we just decided to go home early (early meaning before we'd done everything we wanted to do and after the time we'd said we'd leave haha.) We made a plan to stop at Granny's on the way through Heber but it was closed!!! I was so sad. If you've never been to Granny's in Heber, GO. Today. Our family used to go on the way back from camping or fishing and they have the best shakes. Because Granny's wasn't an option, we had Wendy's for dinner. I didn't mind too much :) I love my frosties.

So... that was our day! Great fun. Future plans: go back to Tabby when it's warmer, go on amazing horseback rides through the newly green fields, maybe tube the river again if it's warm enough, and really stop at Granny's on the way back.

Ah... what a great day! It was great to just get away on that mini vacation. Now... back to school. whoo.

(Oh and it's supposed to snow all week which means... yep! Probably getting up at 4 every morning so Seth can go shovel! Lovely. It's a really good thing we went today...)

*amber*