2nd Anniversary

Patrick and I got an idea from a couple while we were living in Flagstaff on how to celebrate anniversaries. They said celebrating their marriage was really important to them, and having an element of surprise is sometimes fun too. So every year they switch off who is going to plan the anniversary festivities. They've gone to Sea World, spent a couple of days in a nice hotel, gone on a road trip, lots of different things. No matter how big or small the plans (some years require a slightly smaller celebration as we all know), they always enjoy going together and spending time together.

So, we've taken that idea on as our own. I have odd years (1,3,5, etc.) and Patrick has even years. Last year was my year to plan and since it was our paper year I got us tickets to see The Lion King at Gammage. Plus, Patrick picked up Cheesecake Factory and we ate a delicious dinner (while I was listening to high schoolers audition for the musical). So I wasn't able to take off the whole day, but it was really romantic (at least I thought).

This year is Patrick's year to plan, and we're going to.......SONOMA!!

Doesn't it look beautiful!?! We're planning to go right after Christmas (Patrick has time off then). And I'm so excited. So so excited. Even more excited for this than Christmas and Thanksgiving :o)

Mt. Lemon

Last weekend we went with the Sims...I mean...Andersons :o) to hike Mt. Lemon. It was so much fun! My alarm went off around 7am and I turned it off. I guess subconsciously I couldn't make any sense of waking up so early when I was on vacation. Anyhow, we got a late start but finally got on the road. We decided to take the back road instead of I-10, and ended up stopping in Florence. I know, I know, not the best idea. Patrick and I are in the car a lot. Sometimes going to California, sometimes Flagstaff, but whenever we go for a road trip we always stock up on sunflower seeds. Which is the reason we stopped in Florence: sunflower seeds. So we pull up to some no-name gas station and Patrick goes inside to get the goods while I stay in the car with the dogs. Patrick is inside the store and a guy from the truck next to us is getting back into his vehicle. He gets in, and begins to open his bag of beef jerky with a knife. A KNIFE THE LENGTH OF MY ARM!!!! Ok, not my whole arm, but about 18"! Excuse me, what bag of beefy goodness is so hard to open you have to use a machete to get the insides?! So Patrick returns with some ice tea and sunflower seeds and I book it out of there. On to Tucson. So we finally get to Tucson and we caravan with Becca and Ryan to Mt. Lemon. Boy we had a blast with them! They're newly married like us...okay well they're newly married and don't have kids. And the best part is all four of us get along. I guess I never really thought about the importance of you and your spouse getting along with a friend and their spouse until I got married. Alright, back to the story. So we went for a hike and it was beautiful. I posted some pictures from our trip. Oh vacation-I love it.

The Fair!

I haven't been to the AZ State Fair since I was a kid. Honestly, I can only remember going once. So when Emily Greco said, "hey come with me and my sister!" I jumped at the chance. And let me tell you, I had so much fun. This is what we did:

Looked at all the exhibits
Watched a pig race
Walked all around
And at the following (yes, all of it): Funnel Cake, Apple Fries, Pulled Pork Sandwich, Pineapple Whip, and Fried Snickers.

The food was amazing, seriously. Fried Snickers-I highly recommend it! (And who would've thought?!?)

Kiri Graduated!

You CAN teach a dog new tricks!

Patrick and I have been taking our dogs (separately) to puppy training. They're almost 2 years old, and this is our second round for the training, but by golly Kiri made it through. These pictures are from her graduation. Both dogs are getting better and better about listening. They still dig-but now they're in a part of the backyard that I don't mind them digging in :o)

Wedding number....I lost track

Patrick and I went to another wedding. Rachel Van Winkle and Phillip Giampietro. How's that for a last name? I get Jones and she gets Giampietro, lol. It's okay Patrick thinks it's funny too. Anyway! Rachel's wedding was incredible.

The best part was in the middle of the ceremony when the pastor said, "Let's pray. Dear Lord, we ask your blessing on this marriage (insert HUGE THUNDER STRIKE!!!)...(short pause)...amen." I think he was speechless after that and thought nothing could top that, no matter how spiritual or intelligent sounding. And I'd have to agree.

Rachel was gorgeous, the wedding was totally reflecting of God's love. We wish them both a life full of blessing, joyful days and precious time spent getting to know each other.

Second Year

No posts lately, that's because...you guessed it...school started.

Another year has begun and it has started with promises of being much easier than the last. By easier I mean, I feel like I half way know what I'm doing this year. Last year I was in the "ready to go" mode, this year it's more like, "ok, this is what will probably happen." The first couple of days were quite refreshing.

I haven't completely gotten into the swing of things, there are always curve balls thrown at my face from time to time, but overall I feel like a much more calm and happy individual. Could it be that I just had two whole months to rest? I do believe this is part of it. I also think I'm going into this year with a slightly different attitude. I say, "what happens, happens." I'm much better about separating work and home, and I suppose it will only get better. Plus, I'm realizing some things are out of my control. Those things I can't change I try not to worry about. And the things I have any control over-well, I put forth my best.

This year will certainly bring it's own challenges, the first one I see on my list is tour. But hey, what happens happens. I'm thinking at the end of this year I'll be able to look back and say, "ah, another one down, another one to learn from" and who knows, maybe I'll make a difference in a life or two. Here's to a year better than the last.

Too much TV?

Oh the Bachelorette...

So I admit that since I've been home this summer I've watched a little more TV than during the school year. One of the worthy shows of my time: The Bachelorette. You know it's funny, after watching every episode of this season I notice a lot of red flags between her interaction with all these different guys. I suppose being married contributes to my views on a "good relationship," but it's certainly a lot easier to look in on someone else's relationship and say, "woah, just wait a minute." (It is being televised-isn't that what they want us to do??). So what do you think...

"Do you have a girlfriend waiting for you back at home?"
"I never said I have a girlfriend to him"

Ok let's think here. Avoiding the question, NOT a good sign. And what do ya know, he did have a girlfriend. A word comes to mind...DUH!

"You're someone I could spend the rest of my life with"

Someone I COULD?! Someone I want to spend the rest of my life with...The only one I could spend the rest of my life with...I can't imagine my life without you...ANY of those would have clearly been a better alternative. Especially since there's another guy who's about to propose after you leave, come on now.

"I should've told her I loved her"

Yes, you always should. :)

Reality shows are hysterical.

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So another show I've been watching is (don't laugh) Bridezilla. Now this show is really something. I'll set the scene for you: imagine a person you've seen with a ridiculous amount of road rage, multiply it by 320 and change road rage to wedding plans. Yes, this show reveals the true beasts in white dresses and tiaras. These brides throw gifts across the room, yell at their moms for doing their highlights wrong, demand everything you could think of, and my favorite...one bride didn't even write her vows for her own wedding. She didn't forget, she just didn't want to promise anything. HOW CAN YOU MARRY SOMEONE LIKE THAT?!
Honestly, if Patrick said very nonchalantly, "I didn't write any vows" I think it's safe to say that I would have walked out on him. Not writting vows is like saying, "I don't care to promise you anything, our relationship will be whatever you make of it, and I'm the most important person in this relationship." No thanks, not for me.
Patrick was watching one episode with me and he almost fell off the couch when he heard one bride say, "Are you telling me I'm not worth $30,000." Aparently the bride was appalled at the idea that her fiance wouldn't buy her the ring she wanted, $30,000. I looked over at Patrick and said, "How much do you love me now?" to which he promptly responded, "I would never marry that." He was a little repulsed by the show.

Incredible that people can be so selfish, so demanding, so uncaring about others that they will do anything to get what they want. Is this really the world we live in? I believe it is.

Patrick is reading this apologetics book, and he read me this one part that really struck home. It said,
...people like to blame God for the hunger in the world, the evil people commit against each other, the poor living situations in third world countries. Just for a moment think about what the world would be like if we all followed one of God's greatest commandments-Love one another. If we were all loving one another, why wouldn't we provide food for those starving? People not "starving" consume most of the earth's food supply, and they are the minority. They have an excess that, if it were given to those who were hungry, would feed the rest of the earth.

So you see, if we only ate what was necessary and gave the rest away to those that can't afford it...get this...no one would go hungry. No one. Let that sink in for a while.

So what are you doing to love your neighbor? Or are you going to be lumped in with the selfish ones? A hard question to ask yourself, but I think it's worth asking.